John Singleton's money-spinning homebred Strawberry Boy gave
nothing else a chance when leading all the way under Zac Purton in Saturday's $125,000
Group III Lord Mayor's Cup (1600m) at Doomben.
In his favoured front-running role, Strawberry Boy had the
field strung out in the middle stages and Purton had the 6-year-old gelding
full of running down the home stretch.
The Chris Waller-trained son of Redoute's Choice maintained
his advantage to defeat the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Lucky Lago (Encosta
de Lago) by 2-1/2 lengths with a further 2-1/4 lengths back to I'm Imposing (IRE)
(Danehill Dancer) in third.
It takes the overall record of Strawberry Boy to 8 wins, 3
seconds and 5 thirds from 23 starts for earnings of $557,450.
After stints with Gai Waterhouse and Peter Moody, Strawberry
Boy earned his first stakes win at his first start for Chris Waller in the Listed
Ladies Day Cup (1400m) at Hawkesbury last November.
A three-quarter brother to the Group II winner Danroad
(Danehill) and a half-brother to Listed winner Newtown Jet (Prized) and the
Magic Millions 3yo Classic (RL) winner Tippitaka (Red Ransom), Strawberry Boy
is the fourth stakes-winner for Strawberry Road mare Strawberry Girl (USA).
Passed in short of his $300,000 reserve at the 2011 Magic
Millions Yearling sale, Strawberry Boy is the ninth foal of Strawberry Girl
(USA) who died in October last year.
She has an unraced 2yo Big Brown colt named Dad and her
final foal is a Not A Single Doubt weanling colt.