Trainer Chris Waller’s attention to detail helped him plot a first-up win for Boban in the Group One Doomben 10,000 on Saturday.
Boban ($17) took his prize money past $2 million and gave Waller his 12th Group One win for the season when he came from third last at the 600m.
He beat Charlie Boy ($18) by a short neck with a nose to Generalife ($7.50) in third place.
Boban struggled for his best form during the Sydney autumn and after he ran second last in the Chipping Norton Stakes in February, Waller sent him for a spell.
Sydney’s premier trainer, Waller made a close study of Boban’s racing patterns and noticed he went well fresh and also seemed to get on well with jockey Glyn Schofield.
“We probably had been wasting his first-up runs in other campaigns because we tried him at 1200 metres,” Waller said.
“But I thought if we got him out to 1350 metres first-up he would be very well suited.
“That is the way it turned out and full marks to him,” he said.
Boban is no certainty to press on to the Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben on June 6.
“It is a pity the weights don’t come out for another week. He is going to get top weight and I don’t know if the handicap conditions will suit him,” Waller said.
Boban has now won four Group One races with the 10,000 complementing his wins in the Epsom Handicap, Emirates Stakes and Chipping Norton Stakes.
In all four wins he has been ridden by former South African jockey Schofield.
“The horse is hard to handle but he seems to like Glyn and goes well for him. Full credit to Glyn. It was a top ride,” Waller said.
Schofield said Boban seemed to have regained his zest for racing.
“We had to take a tight split on the home turn but he went through it and hit the line hard,” Schofield said.
“Only Chris knows the problems he has had with this horse. But full credit to Chris he has done a great job with him,” Schofield added.
Blake Shinn, who rode Charlie Boy, said it had been a top run and the gelding joined in like a winner at the 200m.
“The winner was just a bit too strong for us,” Shinn said.
Hugh Bowman also thought Generalife was going to win before the Godolphin sprinter had to settle for third with stablemate Knoydart taking fourth.
