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.

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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.

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