A plan to save Hour Of Peril’s best for last paid off for jockey Jeff Lloyd when the wet track specialist won the Tattersall’s Mile at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Lloyd admitted he harboured some doubts about Hour Of Peril’s stamina but stuck to a plan to keep the four-year-old for a final 400m surge of the Listed race.
“There didn’t look a lot of speed in the race but I didn’t want to be too positive on him early because I thought that might fire him up too much,” Lloyd said.
“I thought the best option was to go back on him and get him relaxed so I could save him up for one last run at them in the straight.”
Lloyd elected to stick to the fence aboard Hour Of Peril ($14) while most of his rivals angled to the middle of the track which had been perceived as better going.
The gelding had two lengths to spare from Topping ($10) with Carry Me Bluey ($3.40) a half-head away third.
“Even though a few of the others wanted to get out wide I wasn’t too concerned about sticking to the fence,” Lloyd said.
“The winner of the previous race followed the rail and this horse was gathering momentum and finishing strongly so I elected to keep him on that path.”
Lloyd has struck a purple patch of form since linking with the Patinack Farm operation, winning the Group One Tattersall’s Tiara for owner Nathan Tinkler on much-improved filly Pear Tart last month.
Stable representative Brett Killion said Hour Of Peril was suited by the slow track rating.
“He can accelerate in the going where a few of the others tend to just whack away in it,” Killion said.
“Not much has gone right for him this campaign but it all fell into place for him today. A race like the Coffs Harbour Cup might be a good option for him.”
Belltone, the $3 favourite, is likely to be spelled after he weakened badly in the straight to finish seventh after leading comfortably to the home turn.
Jockey Damian Browne blamed the slow track for the defeat of Adnocon ($7.50) who laboured to finish fifth.
