Bon Aurum will head on a path towards the 2015 Caulfield Guineas after he recorded a maiden stakes win in the Pin And Win Stakes at Flemington this afternoon.
Bon Aurum scored an upset win in the 2015 Pin And Win Stakes at Flemington this afternoon. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Bon Aurum started the Pin And Win Stakes as an outsider following his second place finish in the Wolfpack Plate (1200m) at Sandown on August 26, but a calm Mark Zahra ride helped the Bon Hoffa colt score just the second race win of his career.
Zahra managed to settle Bon Aurum in a forward position from his wide barrier draw and the in-form hoop said that he was thrilled with the way that the three-year-old travelled in the early stages of the Pin And Win Stakes.
“I sort of had a wide run, but he was very relaxed and he was travelling very nice,” Zahra said.
“I was confident and I was just worried about the last little bit, but Ciaron’s horses are going really well and they know how to find the line.
“I thought I had cover, but I was able to get him to switch off and he was going along beautiful.
“On that run you would like to think that he could go to the Guineas.”
Bon Aurum’s victory in the Pin And Win Stakes gave Ciaron Maher an early double following the win of Petits Filous in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes earlier this afternoon and he was delighted with the effort of the lightly-raced colt.
Maher is confident that Bon Aurum has the ability to run out a strong 1600 metres and he sees no reason why he will not give the Pin And Win Stakes winner an opportunity in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10.
“He has always shown good ability,” Maher said.
“He sort of overraced after a month between starts at Flemington a month ago and he was a bit vulnerable late and he drew wide again at Sandown and was bit keen again.
“From the gate we thought there would be too much pressure to lead and we thought that we would be three wide cover, but he was four wide and I thought it might be a bit tough for him but he has always been a strong colt and he is really fit.
“Mark had him nice and comfortable and he was able to get the job done.
“He is a big strong horse and I think he will take a lot of benefit out of today.
“We will see where he lines up the field, but he will probably have to have his chance.”
Team Hawkes-trained Snoopy was well-backed in the lead-up to the Pin And Win Stakes, but he had no luck in running whatsoever and he finished towards the tail of the field.
