James Winks, back riding again for the Danny O’Brien stable, pulled off an upset win aboard At The Heads over the previously unbeaten three-year-old Pied A Terre in the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes at Flemington.
Winks had been appointed number one stable rider for the Flemington trainer and they combined for Group One wins with the likes of Star Witness (2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes), Douro Valley (2008 Yalumba Stakes) and Absolut Glam (2008 Winter Stakes).
However the partnership didn’t last and Winks found himself on the outer.
“I had six weeks off after the spring two years ago and I’ve probably struggled the last 12 months, but I’m just starting to gather momentum again,” Winks, who is back riding work for O’Brien, said.
“I’m back riding for Danny now and have ridden about four winners since I’ve been back.
“There’s 120 more horses I can ride now that I’m back with him and he’s got quality animals like At The Heads.”
“You’ve got to have the right horse, you see it all the time, so I’ll chip away and do the right thing.
“It’s a matter of working hard and rebuilding the bridges.”
Sent out at $10 in the 1400m feature, At The Heads was having just his second outing in a black-type race having run fourth to Linton in the 2010 Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley as a three-year-old.
The Hussonet five-year-old was in the first four throughout and forged clear in the straight to score by 1-3/4 lengths from the Peter Snowden-trained Pied A Terre who was heavily supported from $3 to start $2.35 favourite.
Second Effort ($9.50) was a short neck away third, a nose ahead of There’s Only One ($7) who was only a nose ahead of the fifth-placed Shout Out Loud ($31).
“He gave me a lovely ride. He just idled nicely and when he got to the front he switched off and wanted to wander around a bit but when they came at him he hit the line well,” Winks said.
The entire, whose previous win was over 1400m at Caulfield just over a year ago, has now won five races and been placed in six others for more than $300,000 in stakemoney.
“Danny told me he (At The Heads) needed the right run in order to win a race like this and it all panned out well,” Winks said.
O’Brien was at the Gold Coast where this week he bought four yearlings including an Encosta de Lago-Joie colt for $240,000.
AAP TURF
