More than a year and a half after first riding the Chris Waller-trained Carzoff to a placing in a Sydney race, apprentice Blaike McDougall has reunited with the imported stayer for a win at Flemington.
The Riverina-based McDougall has ridden more than 100 winners this season and brought up his third Melbourne metropolitan victory of the season – and second at Flemington – with his success on Carzoff in Saturday’s K.A Morrison Handicap (2000m).
“I was fortunate enough to get a winner here at Flemington earlier this season, and riding winners anywhere for Mr Waller is a big thrill,” McDougall said.
Carzoff was stepping up to 2000m for the first time this preparation and returned to winning ways in his third start of this campaign, having won both the Listed Wyong Cup and Group Three Newcastle Cup in New South Wales last preparation.
“He’s a nice horse and he’s obviously won better races than this before,” McDougall said.
“A couple of years ago I actually ran third on him at Rosehill.”
Carzoff settled last in the early stages of Saturday’s race before McDougall improved his position near the inside to be in a position to strike.
Once a gap appeared early in the home straight Carzoff ($6.50) ran to the front and then withstood a challenge from $4.20 favourite Masculino to score by a long head, with 3-3/4-lengths to Last Week ($10) in third.
“This is a horse that has consistently been working very well,” Waller’s Melbourne stable representative Jo Taylor said.
“First-up this campaign I thought he was very unlucky. He seems to love Flemington.
“Today, third-up, with a very good ride from Blaike McDougall certainly got the job done.”
