By Brad Kingsbury
POPULAR Cranbourne trainer Colin Davies scored a major career training triumph with success in the $250,000 Group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington with his star sprinter Stanzout on Saturday.
The result of the short-neck win was in doubt pending a protest by second-placed jockey Damien Oliver for alleged interference in the closing stages, but it was smiles all around for the Davies camp when the objection was dismissed by stewards.
The affable Davies was overwhelmed by the performance, but has never doubted his grey flying machine’s ability from day one.
“When you win like that it’s awesome and the feeling was unreal, but when they said ‘protest’ my heart sank,” he said.
“Fortunately we got the money and we were smiling.”
Jockey Nash Rawiller positioned Stanzout just behind the pace of race leaders Here De Angels and Honalee as the field in the 1200-metre straight race flew down the outside rail, before making his move at the 200m mark and giving his mount its head.
Oliver, on $10 chance Shadoways, burst from the pack to be the only real challenger, but Stanzout held it off by a short neck before surviving the protest.
Rawiller’s joy was tempered by a seven-meeting suspension for interference during the race, but his patience and poise during the hectic sprint was outstanding and Davies said the race was run to plan.
“He likes to sit up on the pace and we wanted to follow Here De Angels into the race and then let go and get a lead,” Davies said.
“He’s an exciting horse and he won it well.”
Davies’ luck ranged from both ends of the scale during the week, with the exhilaration of the Flemington win on the weekend tempered by the sudden death of a brood mare and its foal during the week after an accident in the paddock.
“(The win) made up for all the bad luck I’ve had with the horse and with the mare during the week. Racing’s a bit of a ride all the time, really,” he said.
Stanzout will likely head towards the All-Aged Stakes and/or the Sallinger during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Davies will be at Cranbourne on Sunday for the cup day festivities and will saddle his honest sprinter Shadow in the 1400m race on the program, confident of a solid performance.
