In racing terms, not too many things are a struggle nowadays for Max Whitby as his strong investment is often rewarded with feature race success, but coming into the first million-dollar running of the The Archer, he was struggling to find a horse to fill his slot.
It turned out that one who went ‘alright’ last start combined with a strong ride by Jake Bayliss on the Matthew Dunn-trained Lubrication ($17) delivered Whitby and a bunch of excited co-owners the win at Rockhampton in the 1300-metre highlight.
“You wouldn’t believe it,” Whitby said.
“We ran third last week in Brisbane and I suggested it to Matt Dunn because I was struggling to get a horse for this.
“I said to him, ‘I thought that bloke went alright’, so I thought let’s go. It was a bit of an afterthought but a real thought.”
Lubrication’s last start delivered a third placing at Eagle Farm in Class 3 company over 1400-metres on April 19, and Bayliss was not there to just make up the numbers.
“I didn’t rule him out,” Bayliss said.
“He sat three wide the trip last start and stuck on nicely.
“I did think, going through his form, he is better off just left alone. He was a tad fractious in the gates and he stepped slow but I just let him do his own thing.
“He dragged me into it at the top of the straight. We were just banking on a run and when he got one he really let down and put them away nicely.”
Lubrication won by a length-margin over the Tony Gollan-trained pair Comrade Rosa ($11) with Craig Williams aboard and Transatlantic ($4.60) a further 1¾-lengths behind.
Kyle Wilson-Taylor took out The Archer consolation, The Fitzroy (1300m), for the second time with the Stuart Kendrick-trained Lost In Transit ($21) in a tight finish over local hope Cherry Rose ($17).
“I couldn’t believe the odds he was,” Wilson-Taylor said.
“The gate was against him, but it was a really good effort.”
Earlier on the card, Pat Webster and Nikita Beriman combined to take out the Rocky Amateurs Cup (1600m) with Executive Stress ($4.80).
