Almanzor 3YO rises to challenge

Lindsay Park asked a serious question of Rise At Dawn at Moonee Valley and the exciting son of Almanzor provided an emphatic answer.The three-year-old took on older opposition over 1600 metres and overcame a tardy getaway to score a comfortable victory to remain unbeaten in two outings this preparation and his third overall win from four appearances.“He jumped a bit slowly and Daniel (Stackhouse) was able to get him through his gears to lead quite comfortably,” co-trainer Ben Hayes said.“He gave a good kick and was strong through the line, which we wanted to see.“It was a dress rehearsal for the Alister Clark Stakes (G2, 2040m) so he got the big tick of approval to head in that direction.” Safely through the March 23 event back at Moonee Valley, sterner tests await Rise At Dawn.“We’re hoping he can end up in a Derby, he’s bred to stay. It’s hard to get to the top level and maybe he’s one that can,” Hayes said.Rise At Dawn missed the jump before he mustered speed along the fence to lead and stayed on strongly in the straight to win by a length and a-quarter.“He was gawking around and not concentrating and just stood there, but the others stayed off the rail so I was able to take it up and he was too good,” Stackhouse said.Bred by Monovale Holdings, Rise At Dawn was a A$90,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate and is an older brother of this season’s G3 Taranaki 2YO Classic placegetter Kay’s Ruebe.They are out of the Listed Newmarket Handicap winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Kay’s Awake.