Felix Majestic, which was passed fit by the vet after being kicked on his rump behind the barriers, made his own luck and ran 33.35 seconds for his last 600m, which would usually ensure victory.
“He’s learning about his racing and he gets out and he travels a bit better,” jockey Kathy O’Hara said.
“The first couple of times I rode him, he was really unsure what to do and never really travelled that well, but he’s really growing into a nice horse.
“That is the most professional he has been. He’s got heaps of upside and I really like him. I haven’t ridden a horse this nice for a long time.”
Garza Blanca got held up early in the straight but charged late in 32.79 seconds for the last 600m once Jason Collet got him in the clear.
“It took a bit to get him in the clear,” Collett said. “[Trainer] Ciaron [Maher] said because he is so big, he needs space, and you can why he said that because once we got out and chasing he was very strong.
“He is a very nice horse.”
Tommy Berry took luck out of the equation on I Am Me, which started a heavily backed $1.50 favourite and won the benchmark 88 sprint easily.
“I just feel like there is more with her,” Berry said. “That is not good for her rivals but very good for us.”
Cavalier Charles makes late charge
It took until a couple of strides from the line for Sam Clipperton to feel that Cavalier Charles was going to win at Rosehill on Saturday and then until the final stride to put his nose in front of a brave Cotehele.
It was a deserved victory for Matt Dale-trained six-year-old, which ran fourth in the Kosciuszko and was runner-up in the country sprint at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day.
“He really pinned his ears and had a crack,” Clipperton said. “It was a good feeling, that last 100 metres when a horse is probably on empty but they really dig deep for you. It’s a good feeling as a jockey.
“I was going to get close, then at the furlong, I sensed perhaps my horse had used his run to get level. But he had that killer punch, which you needed today.
“About five strides out I felt I had him, but it took every inch of the Rosehill straight.”
Brenton Avdulla had ridden Cotehele just about perfectly. He tracked the speed and found the front early in the straight but waited to ask for the final effort for as long as possible.
“I knew I was going to be a sitting duck for the other horse late,” Avdulla said. ” I thought I had it. He has just gone super – other than getting the win.”
Black Caviar daughter in winner’s circle
Invincible Caviar gave another hint of her talent when careering away for an easy win at Pakenham on Saturday.
It was a third win in five starts for the I Am Invincible daughter of unbeaten superstar Black Caviar, and jockey Luke Nolen can see the improvement in her.
“I still think she’s probably a work in progress, but what I was most pleased with today was the way she settled and how she rounded it off,” Nolen said.
“She’s sort of been a bull at a gate in her races, so that’s encouraging going forward.
“I would say she’s still on a learning curve but she had a good experience here today and that will hold her in good stead.”
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