Higher and higher for Kepitis as Waller quinellas Frank Packer Plate

THE “Winx connection” of owner Debbie Kepitis and trainer Chris Waller didn’t need the great mare to enjoy more big-race success at Royal Randwick.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — APRIL 21: Glyn Schofield on Higher Ground (R) wins race 4 from Michael Walker on Tangled (L) during the All Aged Stakes Day as part of Sydney Racing at Royal Randwick Racecourse on April 21, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

THE “Winx connection” of owner Debbie Kepitis and trainer Chris Waller didn’t need the great mare to enjoy more big-race success at Royal Randwick.

Higher Ground, with his rider Glyn Schofield wearing Kepitis’s colours of purple and white hoops, led home a Waller stable quinella in the Group 3 $150,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).

Kepitis has been in the ownership of so many big-race winners over the years including mighty mare Winx but Higher Ground is her first Sydney stakeswinner in her Woppit Bloodstock colours.

In a finish which had everyone guessing, Higher Ground ($5.50) scored by a nose from Tangled ($6) with Holy Snow ($3.90) a half length away third.

Waller said Higher Ground and Tangled are now on the Derby trail but in separate states.

“Higher Ground will go to the Queensland Derby and Tangled might go to the South Australian Derby,’’ Waller said.

“That’s the beauty of racing in Australia because 52 weeks of the year we race on pretty good tracks and there’s a lot of options.

“If you are not there in the spring there’s the autumn and other options, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia. You name it. It’s a pretty good country to be training racehorses.’’

Owner of Higher Ground, Debbie Kepitis, takes in his nailbiting victory. Picture: Getty Images

Higher Ground scored his fourth win from just eight starts and the son of former champion So You Think is destined for betting things.

“I like them,’’ Waller said when asked about training the progeny of So You Think. “They suit my style of training.

“So You Think was a deadset superstar and to get some of his progeny is pretty special.

“A big key to a horse’s longevity is not pushing them early and, as you can see, they start developing later in life.’’

Business as usual: Trainer Chris Waller looks on after quinellaing race four. Picture: Getty Images

Schofield also has a good opinion of Higher Ground’s emerging staying potential and was relieved when the photo finish verdict went his way.

“I’m glad the photo doesn’t lie, I wasn’t sure if I had won but he’s taken a big step today,’’ Schofield said.

Glyn Schofield on Higher Ground (right) edges out Michael Walker and Tangled to win race four on All Aged Stakes Day. Picture: Getty Images

“Obviously Chris [Waller] has had some plans with him for some time, it was nice for him to show a bit of fight and get there.

“I thought when he changed his legs 100m from home he was just going to surge to the lead and run away from them, but the second horse obviously has Group 1 form and it’s hard to get away from those horses who have performed well at the top level.”

Josh Parr unsaddles Burning Passion after winning the Hall Mark Stakes.

TRAINER HAS BURNING DESIRE TO HEAD NORTH

ON paper, there was no reason to think Burning Passion wouldn’t win at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Mark Newnham-trained six-year-old didn’t have a chink in his armour and won a dogfight against Oxford Poet and Dothraki at his favourite track and distance with Josh Parr on board.

Burning Passion was coming off a 1.8-length seventh to Spright at Rosehill Gardens on March 31 when he was stuck on the rail and couldn’t get a crack at them in the straight in the Star Kingdom Stakes.

Parr, who has won 14 times for Newnham from just 36 rides, lifted the horse over the line after Dothraki edged in front at the 200m.

Burning Passion, ridden by Joshua Parr, takes the inside running at Royal Randwick. Picture: AAP

“He had no luck last start and it was a hard run for the owners to take because he didn’t come off the bit and I assured them that I’d make it up to them,” Parr said.

“He’s a tough horse and he looked so good pre-race so I was confident in his fitness. Everything did (point towards him) and that’s why I rode him aggressively and pressed the button to sit outside the leader because I was so confident that if he didn’t find trouble he’d fight the finish out.”

Parr said 1200m was probably the horse’s best distance but said at 1400m he’s slightly less effective.

Newnham will send Burning Passion to Brisbane for the winter carnival but hasn’t mapped a plan out.

The win came just 40 minutes after Parr and Newnham combined to win on Anatola a race earlier.

With Matt Jones

Originally published as Higher and higher for Kepitis as Waller quinellas Frank Packer Plate