Raven Pass’s talented son Big Duke charged home to win the G2 Chairman’s Handicap on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick on 1 April, throwing himself into contention for the G1 Sydney Cup. This was the third consecutive Group win for Big Duke, who landed the G3 Manion Cup on his last start and won the G3 Launceston Cup back in February.
Sent off as favourite, the Darren Weir trained five-year-old jumped well, taking up position on the inside rail behind the early leaders. Travelling well under jockey Craig Williams, the pair weaved an easy passage coming into the straight as Big Duke powered home to win by two lengths.
Big Duke was bred in Ireland by Richard Pegum and is out of the Polish Precedent mare Hazarayna, who is a half-sister to G3 winners Hazariya and Hazarista.
Raven’s Pass is the sire of 16 individual Stakes winners to date, including G2 Hungerford Stakes hero Richard Pankhurst, G3 Premio Ribot winner Greg Pass and European Free Handicap winner Ibn Malik
Raven's Pass stands at Kildangan Stud at a fee of €12,000 Oct 1st, SLF.
