Favourite’s exit provides clear Passage

SYDNEY three- year- old Dawn Passage has moved to equal favourite for the Group One Stradbroke Handicap after accounting for a small field in the $200,000 Inglis 3YO Guineas at Rosehill.

Yesterday’s 1400m race lost some of its appeal when boom three-year-old gelding Masked Crusader, who had been the short-priced favourite, was scratched on race morning because of a stone bruise.

In Masked Crusader’s absence, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dawn Passage was sent out the evenmoney favourite in a field of five. And his jockey Adam Hyeronimus ensured the colt was always in control when he positioned him outside leader Bandersnatch early.

Hyeronimus angled Dawn Passage several horses off the fence after entering the home straight, and the last-start Group Three Hawkesbury Guineas winner over the same course and distance did the rest.