The ever reliable Burning Front has held off the late to take out the Carlyon Cup
The ever reliable Burning Front has held off the late charge from stablemate Humidor to take out the Group Three T S Carlyon Cup at Caulfield for the second-straight year.
Giving premier Victorian trainer Darren Weir and jockey Brad Rawiller a feature race-to-race double after the Group One C F Orr Stakes win of Black Heart Bart on Saturday, Burning Front ($3.70 fav) dictated terms in the 1600m race.
He opened up a winning break early in the straight with former New Zealander Humidor ($5.50) charging home to get within a neck.
Humidor’ firmed from $10 to $7.50 for next month’s Group One Australian Cup after his performance.
Burning Front won last year’s Carlyon Cup after taking out the VOBIS Gold Star at Moonee Valley and has claimed the same double this summer with Saturday’s victory his third from his past three starts.
It has taken his record to 14 wins and another 18 placings from 43 starts.
“He just gives his all and you know what you’re going to get every time he steps out,” Rawiller said.
Rawiller said Burning Front got a soft lead in the early part but then had to increase the tempo from a fair way out.
“I was still confident coming into the straight but it’s still a long way home,” Rawiller said.
“But he had all the fight that he needed. He’s a horse that gets harder to place every time but Darren just keeps doing it.”
The John O’Shea-trained Tally ran into third in his return from a spell, coming in 2-1/4 lengths behind Humidor.
