Benaud became Reliable Man’s latest stakes winner when he collected the third and most important win of his career with his last-start victory in the Listed Wyong Cup.
Trainer John O’Shea had been confident of a bold showing from his grey son of the Westbury Stud stallion and the Randwick conditioner wasn’t disappointed.
“He is going well, we’d given him one trial and a nice, strong piece of work on Tuesday morning,” he said.
“He was well-weighted, he’s had a win at the track before and it was a nice race for him to get back in the game.”
Rider Dylan Gibbons was able to secure a trouble-free run aboard the five-year-old to land the 2100 metres event, which was tragically marred by a runner breaking down and two others brought down.
Reliable Man’s black type winning tally now stands at 23, including three at Group 1 level through the deeds of Miami Bound (VRC Oaks), Inspirational Girl Railway Stakes) and Miss Sentimental (New Zealand Oaks).
Benaud’s previous two victories had come in a Nowra maiden on debut and two runs back in a Class 1 event at Wyong, which he claimed by six and a-quarter lengths but his record doesn’t tell the full story.
He has distinguished himself in top company with runner-up placings on his record in the G1 Australian Derby and the G3 Kingston Town Stakes and also finished third in the G2 Gloaming Stakes and fourths in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes, G2 Tulloch Stakes and the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes.
Benaud boasts a seriously deep pedigree as he a half-brother to the four-time top-flight winner Tofane and the G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner No Compromise.
Their dam is the Galileo mare Baggy Green who is a half-sister to Group 1 heroines Funstar and Youngstar.
Bred by Kevin Hickman, Benaud was bought out of Valachi Downs’ draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $280,000 by O’Shea and Laurel Oak Bloodstock.