24-05-2025
2025 JJ Atkins on horizon for Sunrays as betting plunge pays off in Bill Carter Stakes at Doomben
Sunrays does not hold a Group 1 JJ Atkins nomination but connections will consider paying a late entry fee after the filly was the subject of a betting plunge to score in arrogant fashion at Doomben.
Kelly Schweida 's two-year-old filly was backed from $2.45 to $1.80 in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1350m) and backers rarely raised a sweat as Tommy Berry smoked his pipe on the filly who blew away her rivals in the straight.
It made it four wins from five starts for the filly who is owned by Queenslander Peter Moran.
The filly races in the same colours as Staging, who finished second in the 1998 Doomben 10,000 won by Chief De Beers.
Staging was the mother of gallopers such as Duporth, Excites and Tickets and further down the family tree Sunrays is now staking her claim as a highly promising two-year-old.
Not only was it a valuable Stakes victory for Sunrays at Doomben, but it also got Schweida and Moran thinking about potentially paying a late fee to race in the JJ Atkins next month.
There seems little chance Sunrays will back up in next Saturday's Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes, but she would surely be a strong contender for the JJ Atkins if connections decided to go that way.
SUNRAYS shines brightest in the Bill Carter Stakes, storming home to cap a training double for @schweidaracing! 🌟� #QLDisRacing
— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) May 24, 2025
'I'll talk to the owner about whether we pay a late fee for the JJ Atkins,' Schweida said.
'She was arrogant, really, at the finish today.
'She got back a bit further than we thought she might, but she looked like she was smoking and you know that she was going to be strong late.
'Tommy Berry looked like he had them covered on the corner.'
Whatever Schweida decides to do with Sunrays, Berry predicted she has a big future.
'She still had a bit of a star gaze when she got to the front so she's got more improvement to come,' Berry said.
'She is a bombproof sort of filly and she is very adaptable and put them to the sword quite quickly.'
There were few excuses among the beaten brigade although Chris Waller 's filly Chatterley ran well to finish runner-up at just her second race start.
