Victorian trainer Matt Laurie bags fourth consecutive win in Sydney with Miss Icelandic at Randwick

After raiding the Sydney autumn carnival with three Group 1 victories, Matt Laurie continued his remarkable run of success in NSW with mare Miss Icelandic.

Chad Schofield wins on Miss Icelandic to give trainer Matt Laurie his fourth winner in Sydney from his past four starters. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Mornington trainer Matt Laurie has forgotten how to lose on Sydney racetracks.

After plundering the Sydney autumn carnival with three Group 1 wins from as many starters, Laurie struck again with Miss Icelandic in the Jeff Pendlebury Handicap (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Miss Icelandic’s jockey Chad Schofield summed it up best when he said, “Matt goes good in Sydney.”

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Laurie wasn’t on track for Miss Icelandic’s win but Schofield said after talking tactics with the trainer on Saturday morning, he was more confident about the mare’s chances.

“When I spoke to Matt he said the mare was going really well,’’ Schofield said.

“The race looked to map well for us on paper and it worked out exactly as we though with the favourite (Zealously) three-wide and Miss Icelandic settling on the outside of the leader, Passeggiata.

“I knew where Zealously was, I was happy he was three-wide, and I thought at the 300m we had the race pretty well sewn up.

“But credit to the leader, she gave a good kick and my mare had to dig deep but she always felt like the winner.’’

Miss Icelandic ($10) wore down Passeggiata ($3.10) to win by a half-neck with Zealously ($2.20 favourite) fading late for third, beaten two lengths.

Laurie has had a remarkable run of success in Sydney this autumn with his wonder filly bagging a Group 1 double in the Vinery Stud Stakes and ATC Australian Oaks.

Miss Icelandic wears down a game Passeggiata to win Race 4 at Randwick! @[e-mail]/kSZesVxWD2

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 26, 2025

The trainer’s top two-year-old Vinrock capped an unbeaten debut season when he won the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.

Miss Icelandic also kept Laurie’s perfect Sydney autumn race record intact with the trainer preparing four winners from as many starters.

Laurie is considering setting Miss Icelandic for the likely to aim Miss Icelandic at the Listed $200,000 Ortensia Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 17.

Scone is also a likely next start for Les Vampires after his resolute win in the Tom Bingle Handicap (1800m).

A clever Adam Hyeronimus ride paved the way for Les Vampires ($6) to edge out Zaphod ($7) by a neck with Miracle Spin ($10) one-and-a-quarter lengths away third.

Favoured duo Flying Bandit ($3.20 favourite) and Saganti ($3.60) seemed to have their chance before finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Les Vampires relishes the 1800m and wins Race 5 at Randwick! 💪 @GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/SSutCkGVFQ

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 26, 2025

Flying Bandit ran on without really threatening the placegetters while the heavily-backed Saganti settled on speed but faded under pressure.

With trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott overseas, Tulloch Lodge stable representative Neil Paine said Les Vampires is a chance to line up in the Listed $200,000 Scone Cup (1600m) next month.

“The worry was the 1800m, there was a question mark if he would get the trip but Adam Hyeronimu rode him a treat – the ride won the race,’’ Paine said.

“He’s a nice, little horse, he tries every race and he’s a good money-spinner. I think Gai and Adrian might even look at testing the horse over 2000m now.’’

Les Vampires, a four-year-old son of champion Pierro, has proven an astute investment since being purchased for $200,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale three years ago.

His Randwick win was his fourth win from 12 starts, taking his career earnings to nearly $340,000.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Sunrise first then daylight

Sunrise, the topical tip for the Anzac Day long weekend, put daylight between herself and the chasing pack with a stunning display of sustained speed at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Mitchell Beer is considering setting Sunrise for a stakes race next start after her runaway win in the Midway Handicap (1100m).

Beer said Sunrise is one of the fastest horses he has trained but the filly has needed to learn how to harness her sheer speed.

“Last preparation, we knew how fast she was and how good she was but she just wasn’t physically or mentally ready,’’ Beer explained.

“All she wanted to do in her trackwork and races was bolt so we had to teach her to settle.’’

Sunrise goes whooshka! Way too good in Race 2 at Randwick. @[e-mail]/Zoba6Yg07o

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 26, 2025

Sunrise has obviously learned her “lessons” well as she resumed with a brilliant all-the-way win at Kembla Grange by more than seven lengths, dashing over the 1000m in 55.58sec, a new course record.

Jockey Rachel King used similar frontrunning tactics on Sunrise ($1.80 favourite) and gave her backers no cause for concern winning by a widening margin of nearly three lengths form Oakfield Badger ($8.50) with Everyone’s A Star ($5.50) close up in third placing.

“Sunrise is very fast but it’s funny, she doesn’t feel like she is going at a silly speed because she has such a naturally big stride,’’ King said.

“They have done a good job to teach her to race sensibly. I gave her a squeeze early then she came back underneath me and gave a good kick in the straight.’’

Sunrise, who is by Charm Spirit out of Daily At Dawn, had a head start in life of being born and raised at Windsor Park in New Zealand in the same paddocks as past alumni including champions Might And Power and So You Think.

Originally sold for $30,000 at Karaka as a yearling, she was secured by Beer at the 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $45,000.

Beer said he will consider aiming Sunrise at the Listed $200,000 Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 17.

Originally published as Victorian trainer Matt Laurie bags fourth consecutive win in Sydney with Miss Icelandic at Randwick