A champion sire, trainer and jockey came together to win the first two races at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
The formidable team of trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman swept the Husson @ Vinery Plate (1600m) and TAB More Than Just Winning Handicap (1400m) via Sizzling Bullet and Dinghu Mountain, both sons of the country's leading stallion Snitzel.
Not even a rapidly deteriorating Warwick Farm track, which was officially downgraded to a heavy (10) after the first event, could stop Waller from taking his tally of Sydney winners to 12 this month.
Sizzling Bullet ($12) improved sharply from a seven length defeat on debut to win the opening event, Waller taking an unorthodox approach in rising the colt steeply in distance from 1100 metres to 1600 metres.
"It was hard to know how this horse was going after his first-up run over 1100 metres but he is out of Hollow Bullet, who won a VRC Oaks," Waller said.
"I was a bit wary of him stepping up to the mile but when you've got Hugh Bowman aboard it's a help.
"There are things that give you the confidence to try things like that, he'd pulled up well after his first run, things like that."
Peter and Paul Snowden's Royal Navy ($3.40) finished 1-3/4 lengths away in second while the John Thompson-trained Our Belisa ($4.80) was another 4-1/2 lengths back in third.
Dinghu Mountain ($1.80 fav) had only three rivals to beat in the following event and took almost the entire length of the straight to overtake the Jarrod Austin-trained Carluca ($5), prevailing by a short head.
"It wasn't pretty but I said to Hugh to just get him to switch off and help him travel through the going and then just steadily build," Waller said.
"He's got a bit more to give I think, hopefully on a better track over the next few weeks."
Beretta ($3.70) for Kris Lees finished a further 4-3/4 lengths away in third.
