Tuesday Joy Overcomes Doubts to Win Tad Kennedy

For at least one of her owners, Tuesday Joy delivered an unexpected grade I victory in the Rosehill mud on March 17.

Tuesday Joy was bred by the Strawberry Hill Stud owned by since estranged couple, Julie and John Singleton.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse had to work overtime to convince Singleton and his racing manager, Duncan Grimley, to even run the daughter of Darley’s Carnegie in the Coolmore-sponsored Tad Kennedy Stakes (Aus-I).

Grimley, a former director of Coolmore-Australia, favored the safer option of the also 1,500 meters Phar Lap Stakes (Aus-II) against her own age later on the same Rosehill card. Singleton agreed, but Waterhouse was persuasive.

Tuesday Joy was bred from Danehill’s Queensland Oaks (Aus-I) winner Joie Denise to win a Melbourne Cup (Aus-I).

The same goal was planned for her Sunday Silence sibling, Sunday Joy, but the 2003 Australian Oaks (Aus-I) winner didn’t make it and went to Sadler’s Wells. She foaled a colt to the Coolmore kinpin on her return to Australia.

Last spring, Tuesday Joy gave a hint of her latent power in winning the Wakeful Stakes (Aus-II) over 2,000 meters of Flemington. She then ran second to a more mature Miss Finland in the Victoria Oaks (Aus-I) at 2,500 meters.

Although 3-year-olds had won three of the previous four editions of the Kennedy, throwing the filly in against the older mares in a quality handicap seemed like throwing her in the deep end at a distance well short of her optimum.

But as heavy rain started to make Rosehill not totally unlike a swimming pool, Tuesday Joy was the one of those punters wanted the most in the deep going which prevailed by the seventh race.

She ran at 13-2 with betting at 11-2 when the 16 distaffers left the machine.

Darren Beadman had not ridden for the Waterhouse barn since several wins on Shamakema in 2005. The Ingham family barn, run by John Hawke, has first call on the services of Sydney’s leading jockey.

Redoute's Choice daughter, Doubting (11-2) rushed home out very wide to get within three-quarters of a length at the wire.

Divine Madonna (15-2) weaved her way home through heavy traffic to be third a half neck farther back.

The Mark Kavangh-trained 4-year-old won the Cantala Stakes (Aus-I) at Flemington last November and is on track for the Doncaster Handicap (Aus-I) at Randwick on April 9.

Tuesday Joy will run against the colts and perhaps Miss Finland in the Australian Derby (Aus-I) on April 7, or the Oaks four days later.