Winning Horse: Holbien (Aus)

6yoG Pierro (Aus) - Carribean Sunset (Ire)(Danehill Dancer (Ire))

44 starts - 6 wins 8 seconds 9 thirds 2 fourths $579385

Black Type Placings

2nd G3 Flemington The Tab Shaftesbury Avenue 1400m (2021)

2nd LR Flemington Furphy Ale March Stakes 1400m (2021)

2nd LR Flemington Mss Security Sprint 1200m (2019)

3rd LR Flemington Vrc-Crv Winter Championship 1600m (2019)

2nd LR Flemington Chester Manifold Stakes 1400m (2019)

3rd LR Flemington Mss Security Sprint 1200m (2018)

2nd LR Bendigo Bendigo Guineas 1400m (2018)

Other Wins

1st Moonee Valley Dynamic Print Group (Bm78) 1600m (2020)

1st Geelong Malua Team Corstens (Bm78) 1425m (2018)

1st Flemington St Vincent's Hosp.-125 Yrs Hcp 1400m (2018)

1st Sandown-Lakeside Blue Star Print Group (Bm64) 1200m (2018)

1st Yarra Valley De Bortoli Mdn Plate 1209m (2018)

Race Result:

1st: Holbien (L Lafferty/S Richards) - $1.95F

2nd: Legionnaire (T Nugent/J Moloney) - $7
3rd: Gold Fields (D Moor/L McGill) - $10

Winning Time: 1:36.35 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 4L x ½ Head

Winning Trainer: Steve Richards

Analogy pre-race was that this horse is like he’s grumpy at the bar sitting by himself: “He might be pretty good tomorrow because I think he knows when he wins. He might be a happy horse tomorrow.”

Challenged by Gold Fields: “That did concern me a little bit but he was travelling pretty well. He was a fit horse and if ever a horse deserved to win a race he certainly is one.

“He’s a pretty horse to ride and Laura rode him absolutely lovely. She’s a good little rider and hopefully this gives her a kickalong. She’s got a couple of winners in town now. It’s good for these apprentices to come along and get some winners and hopefully the phone starts ringing for her.

“He’s been eight times a bridesmaid and we’ve been a bit frustrated but today we’re over the moon.”

Winning Jockey: Laura Lafferty

“I don’t mind coming just across the road and riding winners in the city. Hopefully I can do it more often.

“He didn’t give me too many instructions. The horse is good as in he makes his own luck on-speed. He just wanted me to try and get some cheap early sectionals early on and we were able to do that.

“Last start he just probably got left vulnerable out in front at Flemington off of a hot tempo but he was able to relax a little more and it showed in the finish.

“I think the first half of the field were into a nice rhythm but when Daniel Moor (on Gold Fields) crept up that half-length it revved mine up a little bit but approaching the 800 (metre mark), my horse was rock hard fit and it probably worked out better in the end because he doesn’t have that big change up speed. He just bats away. I just improved from the 800 and he was strong to the line.”