Tough gelding Most Important ended another great summer in winning the $100,000 Sunshine Coast Cup but he has even bigger things in store in the winter.
Most Important earned his owners Graham and Linda Huddy a $500,000 bonus when he won last season’s summer triple crown.
He wasn’t as successful this summer but still won the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes and the Summer Cup as well as finishing second in the Buffering Quality and fourth in the Magic Millions Cup.
Given the run of the race by jockey Jim Byrne, Most Important ($4.40) scored 3-3/4 lengths to Bidii Babe ($21) with a short half-head to Weinholt ($101) in third.
Gollan wasn’t at Caloundra for Saturday’s win but stable foreman Holly Williams said Most Important would now head for a spell.
“As far as I know Tony is keen to rest him and then bring him back for the winter,” she said.
“The Stradbroke Handicap would be great but there are plenty of other races for him,” Williams said.
The Huddys, who now race their horses under the Peachester Lodge banner, and Gollan have been a dominating factor in Queensland racing and scored with High Wind at Doomben on Friday.
Linda Huddy said it was always great to win with Most Important who was a stable favourite.
“When he started to sweat up today we knew he was ready to go,” she said.
“He needs to be a bit messy to be switched on. He has been wonderful for us and areal flag bearer in Queensland,” she said.
Byrne said Most Important had a good run behind the pace and had been too classy.
Trainer Robert Heathcote said Bidii Babe had tried hard but had been beaten by a better horse on the day.
Meanwhile, trainer Darryl Hansen’s hard work correcting Beaudragon’s barrier manners proved a success.
Beaudragon ($10) continued the good run Hansen has had with the Saunders family who best horses with him include the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Le Chef and multiple winner Le Cap.
“We have worked hard on his barrier manners since he has come back south and it seems to be working,” Hansen said.
