Whobegotyou confirmed he was on track for a shot at the $2 million Doncaster Mile when he landed his first Flemington win in the Group Two Blamey Stakes.
Recognised as one of the best weight-for-age horses in the country, Whobegotyou ($1.50 fav) was expected to win the 1600m set weights plus penalties event and didn’t let his supporters down on Saturday.
After settling back second last of the 10 runners for Damien Oliver, the Street Cry five-year-old worked home well in the straight and collared Dao Dao ($6) late to score by a head with Fanjura ($41) two lengths away third.
It was Whobegotyou’s first win on his home track after he finished second at his other two starts there in the 2008 Victoria Derby and a 1400m Listed race at the corresponding meeting two years ago.
“He made hard work of it but they went a little slower than he wanted and he finished it off well,” trainer Mark Kavanagh said.
“He’s a remarkable horse really who has performed at the absolute top level since his three-year-old carnival right the way through.
“We’ve looked after him and only given him three or four runs each preparation and looked after him to the point where he can continue on and race into these carnivals each year and that’s pretty good fun.
“He was a Flemington maiden believe it or not.”
A dual Group One winner of the 2008 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and the 2009 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield, Whobegotyou will be trying to increase that tally over the autumn.
“He’ll go up to Sydney in a couple of weeks and head towards the Doncaster and then go out for a spell and be back in the spring and head towards the Cox Plate,” Kavanagh said.
The Doncaster (1600m), a race Whobegotyou was placed in as a three-year-old, is at Randwick on April 16.
The 1600m is probably the gelding’s best distance having been beaten only once in six tries at the trip.
He was also third in last year’s Cox Plate (2040m) won by So You Think.
“He’s a class horse and not many have got a better turn of foot than him. His acceleration is his biggest asset,” Oliver said.
“Dao Dao gave a great kick when he got there and he’s not an easy horse to get past by any means, but this horse’s racing pattern and the wide gates are forcing him to get a bit further back in his races.”
AAP TURF
