Trust In A Gust got his head down at the right time to score a narrow win over Dissident in the 2014 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield this afternoon.
Trust In A Gust and Dissident fought out the finish in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Dissident was chasing his third straight win at Group 1 level in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, after previously taking out the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), and the Sebring entire looked like the winner when he got his nose in front at the 100 metre mark, but Trust In A Gust was able to fight back late and score his maiden win at Group 1 level.
Jockey Damian Lane admitted after the race that everything did not go to plan with Trust In A Gust in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, but he was thrilled to be able to take out his first Group 1 event.
“He worried me a little bit early, he didn’t muster as good as I hoped and I actually got him over racing trying to get him there.
“To his credit he is a winner and that is what he does.
“I said this morning that if you were riding for anyone today in this race you wouldn’t want it to be any other trainer than Darren Weir.”
Darren Weir has previously won three Group 1 wins in Adelaide, but the victory of Trust In A Gust was his first at the highest level of racing in Victoria.
The leading trainer said that Trust In A Gust had been a great advertisement for his stable since making his racing debut in March last year and he was delighted that the Keep The Faith entire was able to take out the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in his Group 1 racing debut.
“It has been a while coming and he is just a great racehorse,” Weir said.
“He actually got headed, fought back and stuck his head out at the right time.
“It is a great thrill, they are a great bunch of people and he is a great little trier.
“It is a great thrill to me to get one finally in Victoria, I haven’t been able to do it, and to do it with this little horse is a great thrill.
Ben Melham, who rode Dissident, lodged a protest against Trust In A Gust and he alleged that Lane took his rightful position in the early stages of the race, but the protest was dismissed by Racing Victoria stewards.
