First Stakes Winner for Better Than Ready

Mark Smith - Saturday December 15

Following the win of Girls Are Ready at Canterbury on Friday, the Kelly Schweida-trained The Odyssey kept the ball rolling for Better Than Ready when he credited the Lyndhurst Stud stallion with his first stakes-winner in Saturday's Listed Phelan Ready Plate (1100m) at Doomben.

Ridden by James Orman, The Odyssey booked his ticket for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic by defeating the favourite Sun City (Zoustar) by three-quarters of a length with Krameric (Rubick) the same distance back in third.

Second at Doomben when making his debut back on October 6, The Odyssey broke his maiden at his next start when turning the tables on his Doomben conqueror Guntantes over 1100 metres on the same track a fortnight later.


Schweida said the son of Better Than Ready was almost certain to make another start before the Millions.

"He will need another run but it will either be in two weeks time at the Gold Coast or the week before Millions also at the Coast," Schweida told AAP.

"I want him to have a look at the track. One thing I can tell you is that he will be better for that run."

"He was full himself before today's race and he needed that run."

The Odyssey is raced by an all-women syndicate, which includes Schweida's wife Vera.

"It makes him eligible for the $500,000 bonus for horses owned by all women syndicates. If he wins I might even shout dinner," Schweida joked.

Purchased by Kelly Schweida Racing for $30,000 from the Millbrook draft from book 2 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, The Odyssey (pictured as a yearling)  is the third foal and first winner for the Snitzel mare Jessica's Hope who died earlier this year.

Her final foal is a colt by Epaulette that will be consigned by Millbrook to the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Advertisment
More Reading...
17 Winners for Better Than Ready
It’s been an amazing season for Lyndhurst Stud’s exciting young sire Better Than Ready and it got better again on Wednesday when he posted his 17th first crop winner with a Sunshine Coast victory for talented gelding Ready to Roam.
Sugah Sweet Brings Karaka Update at Taupo
Stakes performer Sugah Sweet showed she is back to her best when comfortably taking care of a handy line-up in the Poverty Bay Turf Club Cup (1400m) at Taupo on Monday.
Stamina Test for NZB Filly of the Year Contenders in Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes
The NZB Filly of the Year Series begins to take a different look with the sixth leg, the $270,000 Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
Dundeel Mare Wins Taupo Cup
Black-type targets are in the offing for Cambridge mare Doddle after she took out the Harcourts Taupo Cup (2000m) on Monday.
Better Than Ready Hits 20
We thought last season we were seeing something exceptional when bargain priced sire Spirit of Boom churned out 18 Australian first crop winners, but lightning has struck twice with another modestly priced Queenslander in Better than Ready equalling and surpassing his figures.
Winner Number 23 for Better Than Ready
After the Tony Sears-trained filly Better Thinking opened her account with a three and a half-length romp when on debut at Toowoomba on Saturday to make it winner number 22 for Better Than Ready, the high-flying Lyndhurst Stud stallion took his tally to 23 on Sunday but this one came with a bit of a difference.
Sires With Winners - Monday December 30
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Newhaven Park – Past, Present, Future!
Newhaven Park will present 40 yearlings at Magic Millions making them one of the larger vendors at the sale and two of the yearlings they sold in 2024 are well placed on the order of entry to take their place in the $3million Magic Millions 2YO Classic in two weeks time.
Magic Millions 2YO and 3YO Order of Entry Updated
A busy period of holiday racing has led to a shake up of the Magic Millions order of entry for the 2YO Classic and 3YO Guineas with Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Gallo Nero zooming into contention, while unheralded three year-old Cosmic Force gelding Give Me Space put himself in the picture with a last to first win in the Group III BRC Vo Rogue Plate.
Lanikai Win Brings Karaka Pedigree Update
It may have taken a little longer than desired, but enigmatic galloper Lanikai finally broke through for his maiden victory at Taupo in the Mort Weber – Good Sorts in Racing (1800m) on Monday bringing a timely pedigree update for his half-sister by Super Seth headed to Karaka Book 1.