Victory in last night’s Dakins Group, Group One Flying Stakes has given another big tick on what is becoming a marvellous career for this Art Major three-year-old Got The Chocolates. His 7th career win could not have come at a better time for owners Ross and Angela Gordon, with the Flying Stakes a Group One and featuring the best three-year-olds in the land.
Favourite Marketplace showed extreme speed from his wide barrier to be in front early in the race, but after a somewhat soft initial sectional in the race, driver John Dunn was having nothing of that and at the 1400m was able to push to the lead. With no real pressure on him from that point, John was able to get away with a comfortable first half of the last mile, before really upping the momentum. Allowed a moderate quarter down the back, Got The Chocolates was never going to relinquish his advantage off the back of a 26.3 closing quarter, going to the line a deserved winner by a neck over arch-rival Marketplace who would have lost no admirers with his run either.
Last night’s win was the second Group One for Got The Chocolates (Jack) and the second for his proud owners Ross and Angela Gordon, after winning last year’s Welcome Stakes. Such great supporters of John and the stable, John was stoked for the pair.
“It was great for Ross and Ange. Their support has been amazing over such a long period of time and to have this fella doing what he is doing is great.”
In talking to Trackside’s Mark Cookson post-race, John reflected that better gatespeed definitely helped his cause.
“He was heaps better. He got to the gate and he wanted to come off. So that’s very pleasing moving forward.”
After so many excellent runs in the top company, it was good to shed the bridesmaid tag on this occasion.
“He can cop the hard runs and can come off them and back up so well.”
“He can just flop along, he can sit outside them, or he can lead up and you just click him up and away he goes. He’s a neat horse.”
Earlier in the night it was another highlight for the stable with the successful quinella in the Group Three Braxton Farriers Worthy Queen trot, with Mighty Logan holding on after a perfect run to defeat stablemate I Dream Of Jeannie.
The pair made their luck early, both stepping well, with Mighty Logan in front after 400m from his 10m handicap. After handing up to One Over All, they were able to secure the perfect run on the markers before using the passing lane to best effect in the race, holding on from the stablemate and the fast-finishing swoopers.
“He was really good again tonight and stepping so well from the 10m really allowed us options in the race.”
“Gavin Smith and his one set up a cracking pace to follow and it was just a case of watching out for the back markers which I knew would be flying home.”
After super runs in his two runs back in this time, both off long marks, Mighty Logan appears to be in the form of last year, which was good enough to see him run second in the Dominion Handicap behind Just Believe. The stablemate I Dream Of Jeannie will have done her prospects of making that field no harm either after finishing with great purpose for Blair Orange.