A gun ride from top jockey Glen Boss went a long way in seeing Mr Whitaker collect first prize after a long time when he took out the $60,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1100m on Polytrack on Friday night.
Tracking up in an ideal spot behind the pace set by $13 favourite Elite Star (Syafiq Hazman) from barrier rise, the Darci Brahma five-year-old never lost the leading bunch in his sights before he upped the ante 300m out.
Elite Star tried as best as he could to preserve his advantage but was beaten fair and square when Mr Whitaker came upsides before darting past rather easily. The Laurie Laxon-trained gelding could ill-afford to let up, though, with late swoopers Golden Mission (Olivier Placais) and Battle Of Troy (Wong Chin Chuen) descending thick and fast late in the piece.
Mr Whitaker ($18) was, however, able to hold on for a gallant win three-quarter-length clear of $406 bolter Golden Mission, but the one for the black books had to be trainer Desmond Koh’s newcomer, the well-bred Battle Of Troy (x Flying Spur).
The former Team Hawkes-trained Victorian import and full brother of Hong Kong Sprint winner Inspiration was always in a rearward spot from the get-go, at the receiving end of a copious amount of kickback but still went through his gears as he threaded his way through the pack in search of daylight in the home straight to eventually pick up a noteworthy third place, only 1 ½ lengths off the winner.
As for Elite Star, who was second-up from a four-month layoff, he was given every conceivable chance by his young rider, but again proved a little hard to handle inside the closing stages, to run fourth another head away. The winning time was 1min 6.12secs for the 1100m.
“He was a little handier than normal tonight, but he won a good race in the end,” said Laxon of his 34th 2016 winner.
“His form was good and he was even the favourite at some stage tonight, but I think he drifted late and started as second-favourite in the end.
“He won two in a row early in his career and has often been around the mark after that. He’s now won three races and has earned a little bit of money for us.
“It’s Sir Peter Vela who bred him from his Cape Cross mare Felenic at Pencarrow Stud.”
Now raced by the Oscar Racing Stable, Mr Whitaker has brought up more than $180,000 in stakes earnings.
Boss said Mr Whitaker was no superstar but was an honest bread-and-butter sort in his grade.
“It was my first time riding him, but I’ve watched his replays and I knew he was such an honest horse,” said the Australian rider.
“He really deserved that victory tonight. He was never far away and he attacked the line really well.
“He’s no star but any trainer would like a stable full of horses like him.”
