A recent throat operation and regular trips to the beach have helped keep racing warrior Danleigh at the top of his game with the nine-year-old adding the Chelmsford Stakes to his resume on Saturday.
The only regret trainer Chris Waller has is that he didn’t order the operation to clear the gelding’s airways sooner.
Along with several other horses from the stable, Danleigh has also had his routine varied with regular trips to Botany Bay.
Known mostly as a wet tracker, Danleigh was sent out at $8.50 with Secret Admirer the $3.20 favourite in the Group Two feature run on a good track at Warwick Farm.
Ridden confidently just behind the leaders by Hugh Bowman, Danleigh unleashed a powerful finish and held off Secret Admirer by three-quarters of a length with Lamasery ($4.40) another 2-1/4 lengths away third.
“He has been with me a long time,” Waller said.
“But I’m still learning about him since he had the throat operation.
“He is one of those horses that is very special to the stable and is going so well now that he can breathe properly.
“Perhaps he doesn’t need wet tracks after all.
“He’s won four Group Ones and hopefully we can get another one in the George Main.”
Bowman said Danleigh was among a select group of his favourite horses.
“He is a super horse,” Bowman said.
“It is a privilege to ride him.
“I have a few favourites from over the years. Horses like Racing To Win, Red Oog, Court’s In Session and Danleigh.
“They are really good horses who do the job for you.”
Secret Admirer’s trainer Grahame Begg will decide later in the week whether the George Main Stakes (1600m) on September 22 is the next target for the mare.
“I was delighted with her run,” he said.
“She’s certainly on target for the other races and to me she’s racing like a horse that wants a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m) or mile-and-a-half now.
“I’ll decide by no later than Wednesday whether she goes to Melbourne for the Underwood Stakes (1800m) next or stays here for the George Main.
“Both are run on the same day.”
Begg’s concern is the weather as he would prefer to keep the mare in Sydney where it has been warmer than Melbourne.
Lamasery is on target for the longer races with the Metropolitan and Caulfield Cup, both over 2400m, on his radar.
“He ran a nice race,” jockey Peter Robl said.
“He was a bit more dour than first-up but we were pleased with the way he ran and through the line he was strong.
“It’s looking good for the future.”
