Oh, sometimes in life you just notice funny things on race day.
The $1million Kennedy Oaks over 2500m at Gr 1 level, delivered a magnificent result for co-trainers Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes, as it did for Coolmore who purchased the winner PERSONAL (Fastnet Rock-Personify) in partnership for $650,000 as a yearling.
Her grinding, gutsy effort was her 2nd win from 9 starts and she has earned $1.1million in stakes now.
But after the race, when everyone connected with the filly were jumping around, bumping elbows, smiling broadly, Ben Hayes was snubbed.
In typical Hayes family jubilation, he was beaming as he and partner Dabernig saddled their first-ever Gr 1 winner as a team of two, almost hugging, but deciding instead to bump elbows. That bump was conducted seamlessly!
Their joy was palpable. But when young Hayes went to do it again, this time with one of the filly’s co-owners, the old bloke didn’t budge. Hayes was left hanging, elbow out and no bumping to be seen anywhere.
We’ve all been there.
But it mattered little in the end. Dabernig revealing that his son is now the stable’s lucky charm, and Hayes’ smile never flinched.
“We took him to the races on Melbourne Cup day and we landed a double so I told him he could skip school today and come with us, and there you go we win again,” explained Dabernig, who also said his wife wore the colours of Personal as well.
Omen trainers, you gotta love it. Personal’s win was the 4th for the young co-trainers at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Personal beat home the emerging staying hope SALTO ANGEL (Sacred Falls-Jacilo) who now has raced six times for four placings, no wins and $241,000 with the odds-on pop MONTEFILIA (Kermadec-Bana Wu) who was absolutely perfectly ridden by Hughie Bowman, back in 3rd.
She hit the front at the clock tower but just didn’t see out the journey.
But her 3rd placing took her earnings to date to an impressive $1,100,925.
Finally, this was winning rider Damien Oliver’s 6th Oaks win. He’s a freak.
