Spill The Beans held-off the fast-finishing duo of Federal and Stratum Star to record a tough victory in the 2016 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm this afternoon.
Spill The Beans could head to stud after he recorded a tough victory in the QTC Cup at Eagle Farm this afternoon. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Spill The Beans was settled just behind the speed in the early stages of the QTC Cup by jockey Tim Clark, while Eloping took up the running from Miss Cover Girl, and they set a genuine tempo.
Spill The Beans and Miss Cover Girl dropped Eloping quickly when they were asked for an extra effort, but they both looked like sitting ducks when Federal and Stratum Star both stormed home down the outside.
Federal looked as though he was going to get there in the final bound, but Spill The Beans kept fighting and he held on bravely to record one of the best race wins of his racing career to date.
Clark has developed a strong association with Spill The Beans, steering him to victory in both the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 6 and the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) on April 30, and he said that he is hopeful that Aquis Farm don’t retire him to stud immediately after they purchased a share him at the start of the month.
“I’ve had a good record on this bloke, four rides for three wins on him now, and he has been a good horse to me,” Clark said.
“Last week the race would have set up perfectly for him with a wet track, but we had to wait a week.
“He was really good and really brave.
“He was out on his feet late and he probably got their a touch soon because it is a fairly long run in here and he was just feeling the pinch in the last bit, but Gerard has done a great job because he has had a bit of a freshen up since Scone and he has him back.
“Hopefully he can race on – there is talk of him going to stud but hopefully he will race on.”
Federal did not have a great deal of luck in running and he likely would have won the race if Sam Clipperton had been able to find clearly running earlier, while Group 1 winner Stratum Star returned to a semblance of his best form to finish third.
Spill The Beans is set to stand alongside Benfica, Domesday and Holy Roman Emperor on the inaugural Aquis Farm Stallion Roster.
