Winning Horse: Bartholomeu Dias (Gb)

6yoG Mount Nelson (GB) - Lady Francesca (GB)(Montjeu (Ire))

28 starts - 5 wins 3 seconds 5 thirds 7 fourths $315777

Other Wins

1st Sandown-Hillside Ladbrokes (Bm84) 1800m (2020)

1st Gb - Newcastle Aw Betway Live Casino Handicap 2504m (2019)

1st Gb - Wolverhampton Aw Keep Calm Keep Trucking With Kgt Handicap 2461m (2018)

1st Gb - Wolverhampton Aw Renault All-New Koleos Novice Median Auction Stakes 1905m (2018)

Other Placings

3rd Sandown-Hillside Clanbrooke Racing Hcp 2400m (2021)

2nd Kyneton Bet365 Kyneton Cup 2000m (2020)

2nd Gb - Wolverhampton Aw Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap 2815m (2019)

3rd Gb - Ascot Victoria Racing Club Handicap 2406m (2018)

3rd Gb - Kempton Park Aw 32Red.Com Handicap 2413m (2018)

2nd Gb - Goodwood Clemtech 20Th Anniversary Handicap 2412m (2018)

3rd Gb - Great Yarmouth British Stallion Studs Ebf 'Stallion-Restricted' Novice Stakes (Plus 10) 1410m (2017)

3rd Gb - Goodwood Matchbook Betting Exchange Ebf Novice Stakes (Plus 10) 1207m (2017) (Debut Run)

Race Result:

1st: Bartholomeu Dias (T Nugent/C Maher & D Eustace) - $21

2nd: Hi Stranger (D Thornton/S Fliedner) - $19
3rd: Dice Roll (N Ryan/F Kersley) - $3.70 fav

Winning Time: 1:37.02 Last 600m: 36.18

Margins: 1-1/4L x Nose

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

Thought going into this race: “We thought he would run well, I can’t say we thought he would win. He trialled well last week. He is an enigmatic horse, he has taken a while to work out. I want to thank Georgia and her team down at Fingal. She has done a wonderful job with him. She has changed his training up completely and he is doing largely hill track training away from any racetrack and that seems to have gotten him in the right frame of mind. That and he got a beautiful ride from Teo (Nugent) who was patient. We drilled that into him to be patient on him. He listened and he rode him really well.”

Future plans: “To be honest, it has taken a while to work him out and we probably haven’t fully yet either as to what his best trip is and that sort of shows in the fact he has raced well at a mile, he has raced over a mile and a half at home and has raced okay here at that trip. I would say on that (performance) we will try and keep him fairly fresh and keep him at a mile or 1800m and not go beyond 2000m at this stage. Without having a look in the book, I would say that is what we’ll do. It is great for the owners as well. Highclere have been extremely patient for one and have shown us a lot of support. It is great to repay them with a winner on a Saturday at Flemington because it has been a little while.”

Winning Jockey: Teo Nugent

Told to be patient: “It’s not the first time Dave’s told me to be patient.

“This horse has furnished a lot. The team has got a lot of time for him. Even the way he paraded today, he’s put on a lot of weight.

“I trialled him a week-and-a-half ago at Traralgon over 950 metres and he gave me a lovely feel and coming here today we were quietly confident.

“Dave drummed it into me to be patient, and that’s something we’re certainly working on.

“I have got to give a big thank-you to Ciaron and Dave. They’ve supported me all the way through this apprenticeship and we’ve only go 10 or so winners to go now.

“I’ve got to thank them for a nice ride and hopefully I can stick with him.”

Another shower of rain: “The track is lovely for winter time. The grass is getting a bit tired but there is genuine give and you can win from anywhere, which you can see in the first six races.

“Winners are grinners and long may it continue.”