Relaxed colt’s return to Sydney was just the ticket

Being back in Sydney seems to be the key to stallion prospect Tickets as he returned to the winners’ list in the G2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill yesterday.

The Redoute’s Choice colt has spent the past year in Melbourne racking up one win from seven starts after being the runner-up in the G1 Sires Produce and G1 Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old in Sydney.

He had been unplaced in two group 1 sprints during the Melbourne autumn carnival but was able to make a long sustained run and hold off the previously unbeaten Al Dhafra to score yesterday.

“He has really relished his time here and has really come on after those two runs in Melbourne,” jockey Luke Nolen said. “He has really relaxed and I wanted to get going early … he did a real job to hang on the way he did.”

Nolen decided to get moving before the turn and hit the front at the 300-metre mark and, in a slogging finish, held off Al Dhafra while Descarado was a length back in third.

The G1 Doncaster is on the agenda for Tickets but Nolen admitted he probably won’t be riding him.

“He would have to win a group 1 or get a good penalty to get to my weight,” he said.

“He is still a bull and it would be a good race for him to win.”

Source: Chris Roots, Sydney Morning Heral