"SONIC" JETS IN AT GOSFORD

THURSDAY, February 3, 2022: DISAPPOINTMENT turned to relief for Brad Widdup after Sonic Tycoon had finished out of the placings in town at his previous start.

And that relief became delight at Gosford today when the gelding returned to the winning list.

In the process, he won his first race (and overall the third of his career) at his fifth start for Hawkesbury’s leading trainer.

Sonic Tycoon ($4.80), ridden by Rachel King, would not be denied and fought back to edge out recent Muswellbrook winner The Chosen One ($5) in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m).

Sonic Tycoon had faded to tail the seven-horse field home in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) at Warwick Farm on January 12 after being second to the home turn.

“He was disappointing that day, and I mentioned to his owners that unless we found something wrong it was perhaps time to move on,” Widdup said this evening.

“Thankfully, we subsequently found he was full of mucus, so there were legitimate excuses.”

King rode Sonic Tycoon at Warwick Farm and stuck with him today – and this time there was no stopping.

Adding merit to the four-year-old’s performance was that he began awkwardly and lost a plate in running.

Widdup clinched his 28th victory this season, with Sonic Tycoon’s success coming immediately after he had finished second in the previous race with All Too Hard filly Verzenay.

He will have two representatives in Saturday’s Midway Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick in Icecrusher (Kerrin McEvoy) and Tycoon Hallie (Jay Ford).

Both mares were placed at their last starts, and their trainer has decided on gear changes with them.

Icecrusher will wear ear muffs to the barrier, where they will be removed before she jumps, and Tycoon Hallie will sport blinkers for the first time.

Widdup’s stable star Icebath is in great order just over a week ahead of her return to racing in next Saturday’s $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

The Group 2 assignment will be her first test at weight-for-age.