Apprentice Luke Dittman got a compensation win for missing the ride on Worthy Cause in Melbourne when he landed a Doomben plunge on stablemate Spot The Diff on Saturday.
For the second week in a row, bookmakers were hammered in a Doomben two-year-old race as $2.50 was offered early but the weight of money saw Spot The Diff shorten to $1.55.
Spot The Diff looked in trouble at the 200m but finished too strongly to beat Fallen Foy You ($3.50) by 2-3/4 lengths in the Smoke and Mirrors Handicap (1110m).
Winning trainer John Zielke was at Caulfield to saddle Worthy Cause in the Group Three Moonga Stakes but his daughter Renee said Spot The Diff had done well since her debut second two weeks ago.
“She has improved out of sight. Spot The Diff isn’t very big so we will see how she pulls up before making any further plans,” she said.
Dittman, who won on Worthy Cause at Flemington on October 4, was full of praise for Spot The Diff.
“She went to sleep at the 600 metres and then responded when I asked for an effort. She will get at least 1200 metres if not further,” Dittman said.
Spot The Diff, who is by top sire Snitzel, was bred by her owner Evan Hartley who is the principal of the Dovedeen Syndicate which races her.
John Zielke took over as Dovedeen’s trainer when Len Treloar retired 16 months ago.
