Talented sprinter Jedibeel took his career to a new peak when successful in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday after gaining a late split under Tyler Schiller to grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
Schiller, who rides with a calmness rarely seen, was hell-bent on waiting for a gap after being cluttered in midfield and he took full opportunity when presented with a needle-eye to defeat Pereille and Eagle Nest
The Brad Widdup-trained son of Savabeel has now won seven races from 17 starts, with a further seven placings as he advanced his career earnings to A$527,150.
“It was a hard-watch until the last few strides but full credit to Tyler, he knows him, and it is great to see the horse get rewarded,” Widdup said.
“He has got a great record. I think he is a black-type horse every day of the week and he has proved that today.”
Schiller rode conservatively to give Jedibeel the best opportunity to prevail over a distance he had never previously won over.
“I knew he wouldn’t have been strong at the 1200m and he has never won at Randwick, so I was pretty patient and I didn’t want to expose him too early and do anything rash on him,” Schiller said.
“He has got a great turn of foot and I thought I put him into a dead-end at one point but I was very grateful I was on a very good horse. He is probably better off ridden like that, but maybe not that close.
“He is such a genuine horse. I think his sprint is not very long which is probably why he doesn’t get 1200m all the time and especially at Randwick coming up the rise but Brad has done a great job with him and it is great to get winners for these owners, they are great people and he is just a really good horse for me.”
Jedibeel was bred by Waikato Stud and is out of their unraced O’Reilly mare Starry. The five-year-old gelding is one of five winners from six foals to race out of Starry – a group that also includes the Dunstan Feeds Stayers’ Championship (2400m) winner and multiple Group Three placegetter Starrybeel.
But despite being a full-brother to that genuine stayer, there is also no shortage of speed in Jedibeel’s pedigree, which notably features multiple Group One winner I Wish I Win.
Waikato Stud offered Jedibeel during the National Weanling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus in 2020, where he was bought for $35,000 by Dengaroka Lodge in New South Wales. Jedibeel was later purchased by Widdup as a yearling for $190,000 at the Sydney Classic Sale after fielding a phone call from Sydney businessman Mike Gregg.
Gregg races Jedibeel in the bumble bee colours of his Sydney University of NSW cricket club, along with his grandson Locky Sheridan.
The Oaks Stud will offer a three-quarter sister to Jedibeel as Lot 329 of next month’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales, with the filly from the first-crop of Savabeel’s son Noverre and out of Starry.