Young Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander scored a career highlight when Amorino won at Flemington on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Englishman, who had a thorough grounding in racing before taking out a trainer’s licence at Ballarat, registered his first Group victory.
Amorino
However, an incident on the way to Flemington almost cost Alexander as Amorino underwent a veterinary inspection after banging his head.
Ridden by Craig Williams, Amorino ($10) finished too well for visiting Hong Kong jockey Douglas Whyte’s mount Aeronautical ($10) to score by a long neck in the Group Three TAB Rewards Stakes (1400m).
Alexander was unknown before the OTI syndicate switched the imported galloper Renew to his stable in the lead-up to last year’s Caulfield Cup.
The winners have been coming slowly for Alexander but he said the Group victory at Flemington was exciting.
“A Flemington Group winner, it doesn’t get any better than this,” Alexander said.
For Williams it was a sweet victory as he outgunned 13-time Hong Kong premiership winner Whyte.
Whyte was a jockey Williams looked up during his time in Hong Kong and learnt a lot from the South African.
“When I was in Hong Kong I tried to learn as much as I could off Douglas Whyte because he’s a champion on and off the track,” Williams said.
