Former Carlton star Greg Williams was among the owners celebrating the success of four-year-old stallion Hvasstan, which hung on gamely to win the Drummond Golf Handicap at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Williams bought Hvasstan for $200,000 as a yearling and has enjoyed the ride since, as the son of Fastnet Rock has accumulated more than $320,000 in prizemoney.
Hvasstan winning the Drummond Golf Handicap at Moonee Valley - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
“He’s a good horse. He’s had a couple of bad runs, but we put new shoes on him and he ran well today,” Williams said.
Hvasstan ($9) was placed second from the lead for much of the 2040m race, but put the pressure on as the field turned the bend into the straight.
He hit the lead around the 300m mark and managed to hold off the field to win by a half neck from Bel Thor ($6.50), which stormed down the middle with Grand Sai Wan a long head away third.
Trainer Peter Gelagotis says if Hvasstan pulls up well he may be a chance for the $1 million Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington next week.
He said he had been expecting a win all this preparation, but the horse had endured problems with his feet.
“I called my farrier and said we had to do something, so we put bar plates on him and the rest is history,” Gelagotis said.
“The Mackinnon might be an option, but I’m not too keen backing him up three weeks in a row.
“We’ll see how he pulls up.”
