Winning Horse: Wil John (Aus)

6yoG Reset (Aus) - Arohanui (Aus)(Bianconi (USA))

23 starts - 9 wins 5 seconds 3 thirds $437125

Other Wins

1st Sandown-Lakeside Grand National Hrdl 4200m (2021)

1st Warrnambool Pontings Mitre-10 Hrdl (1Jw) 3200m (2021)

1st Bendigo Apiam Animal Health (Bm70) 3600m (2021)

1st Warrnambool Cally Hotel Mdn Hrdl 3200m (2021)

1st Ararat Tac Be Races Ready (Bm70) 3800m (2020)

1st Geelong Dmb Contracting (Bm64) 2447m (2020)

1st Hamilton Bet365 (Bm58) 2200m (2019)

1st Warrnambool Pearsons Nursery Mdn Plate 1700m (2019)

Other Placings

3rd Warrnambool Haymes Paint Jericho Cup 4600m (2020)

2nd Gawler Bushfire Labour Day Cup (Bm66) 3000m (2020)

2nd Echuca Blaze Essential Services-Bm70 3200m (2020)

2nd Mornington Janet Hemmings (Bm70) 3080m (2020)

2nd Murtoa Chs Group Horsham (Bm58) 2050m (2020)

3rd Swan Hill Hygain (Bm58) 1600m (2020)

2nd Swan Hill Pooles Accountants (Bm58) 1600m (2019)

3rd Warrnambool Fresh Master Painting (Bm64) 2000m (2019)

Race Result:

1st: Wil John (L Meech/C Maher & D Eustace) - $16

2nd: Smokin’ Romans (M Dee/C Maher & D Eustace) - $3.10F
3rd: Accountability (D Oliver/C Waller) - $7

Winning Time: 2:30.54 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 1L x ½ Head

Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace (Ciaron Maher interviewed)

Owners: “They’re ecstatic. They absolutely love this horse. I think I bought the mother as a yearling and she was a pretty good horse. For them to breed her and then breed this fella - for him to do what he’s done this year is unbelievable.

“We went to the May Carnival and made a mess of them. They had a lot of fun there and he got through to a National and was freshened up for this race now. The target is the Jericho Cup for him - he was placed in that last year.

“He put the writing on the wall when he trialled with Persan, Explosive Jack and Sir Dragonet there at Ballarat. I thought he trialled really well.

“I said to Linda that I’ll just leave it up to her where she was going to be. He’s not really a get back, sprint horse. She ended up just going around them. He was too good and outstayed them.

“He’s out of a really good staying family. Tiffany’s Best was the mother of his mother. They’re all stayers and if you have a look at him he looks like an English steeplechaser. He may even get there one day, too.

“The year he’s had is unbelievable. Colin McKenna joked that I should have had him in the first Tuesday in November. It’s great.”

Winning Jockey: Linda Meech

“It says a lot for jumps racing, doesn’t it. I started in jumps racing and without it I don’t think this horse would be as good as he is.

“As a young horse he was a difficult horse mentally because he was so immature. I think the jumping really helped him collect his thoughts. He’s still a baby and he’s going to keep improving.

“I just want to say thanks to Colin and Janice. They were on the phone to me the other day and they said they can’t wait for me to get in their colours. I was pretty emotional winning on that horse, actually.

“They’ve been terrific supporters of mine and supporters of Ciaron’s. It’s special that they bred it themselves.”