One Aye showed an impressive turn of foot on Sunday, running down Toulon Brook to take out the Forbes Cup (1600m) – a qualifier for The Big Dance at Randwick on November 1.
The Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones-trained mare has now qualified for the $2 million race for the second time having previously finished second to Not Negotiating in the Mudgee Cup (1600m) back in December.
The Matthew Dale-trained Toulon Brook led throughout and was pulling away in the final stages, but Quayde Krogh had timed his ride on One Aye to perfection, coming from midfield to run down the leader and take the win by an official 0.3-length margin, with Intuition a further 2.14 lengths away in third.
By Super One from Flying First Class (Flying Spur), One Aye was a $50,000 purchase for Joseph & Jones Racing from the Ashleigh Thoroughbreds draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and has so far amassed just under $172,000 from her 17 career starts with five wins and six placings.
After failing to feature in the SERA Country Championships Qualifier at Nowra in February, she was sent to the paddock before returning to dominate with an easy 6.18-length win in a 900m trial at the Sapphire Coast on June 12. A good third first up on July 16 at Rosehill in a 1400m Benchmark 78 saw One Aye start as $4.20 favourite with online bookmakers at Forbes on Sunday.
One Aye impressed the Joseph & Jones stable from the start, so much so that they also went on to purchase a half-sister by Deep Field at the 2021 HTBA May yearling sale who has been named Two Aye. Prominent part-owner of the two Max Whitby, who has owned hundreds of horses including 2004 Cox Plate winner and champion sire Savabeel, then also went on to purchase Flying First Class with a 2021 Showtime filly at foot.
Joseph & Jones now have three horses eligible for The Big Dance at Randwick on November 1 with She’s All In victorious in the Nowra Cup (1600m) back in early December and Room Number claiming the Bega Cup (1600m) on January 30.
There are seven more Big Dance-eligible Country Cups and a Wild Card yet to be run, the next being the $150,000 Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) on Thursday, August 4.
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