Our Boy Malachi flew home from the tail of the field to record an outstanding victory in the 2016 Caulfield Sprint at Caulfield this afternoon.
Our Boy Malachi recorded an outstanding victory in the 2016 Caulfield Sprint. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos
Dwayne Dunn made the somewhat surprising decision to settle Our Boy Malachi at the tail of the field and he was extremely patient coming around the turn, while the other leading contenders were all settled in the first half of the field.
Dunn asked Our Boy Malachi for an extra effort at the 300 metre mark and he quickly picked up his rivals before he put them away in the finals stage to record a truly dominant Caulfield Sprint win.
“It was good to see the old Rockhampton Rocket come to the races again today,” Dunn said.
“He gave Chautauqua something to chase in the TJ in Sydney and he ran super up there the other day.
“I was always going to be a bit sticky there from the barrier because we drew wide and I didn’t break that well, so I rode him a bit patiently today and he finished off beautifully.
“Horses don’t win this many in a row if they are no good.”
Team Hawkes have had an outstanding Caulfield Carnival – highlighted by the win of Divine Prophet in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas last weekend – but co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said that Our Boy Malachi’s victory in the Caulfield Sprint might be the stables most exciting victory of the carnival.
Hawkes did not confirm where Our Boy Malachi will have his next race start and he said that the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley next Friday, Group 2 Salinger Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day and the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) at the same venue are all on the agenda for the veteran sprinter before a potential trip to Perth for the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
“For him to do what he has done – it is as good as win as we are going to have over this Spring Carnival,” Hawkes said.
“He came down from Rockhampton not a broken horse and his record was something like 14 starts for 12 wins.
“Normally when you get them at that stage they are passed their best, but he has done a great job.
“Dwayne really summed it up – he just sat back off them and I didn’t think that they went overall hard and after they went a couple of hundred metres I wasn’t sure whether that was a good spot or a bad spot.
“He just didn’t panic around the corner and he is just a winner.
“The Darley is there, the Salinger is there and they are nice races for him.
“We might even go to Perth for the Winterbottom yet.”
Fabulonh toughed it out to finish second after being ridden on the speed in the early stages of the race, while Lankan Rupee finished a promising third in his return to racing.
