Jockey Luke Currie felt a different horse underneath as he paraded to the start aboard The Western Front at Sandown.
The Western Front contested the Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday and Currie said the stayer was a more relaxed individual to the one he rode in the Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington just over two weeks prior.
“On the way to the gates today he felt a lot more settled,” Currie said.
“The boys (Ben, Will and J D Hayes) had worked really hard on him to get him to relax and that’s the main thing in these races, especially for him.”
Sent out the $3 equal favourite, The Western Front pulled out all stops to hold off Zibulon ($10) by a half-head with Tajanis ($17) a nose away third.
Currie said a slow early speed had helped The Western Front at the end of a tough 3200m contest on a Slow 7 track.
“We wanted to be positive and hold a spot without doing too much,” Currie said.
“The leader controlled it and rolled from down the back which suited us, but it meant we had to run out a strong 3200 (metres).
“I was trying to be as patient as I could, but when I let him go, he quickened and held on to the line.”
Currie conceded he feared the runner-up had his measure at times down the straight but was also confident that if required a ‘head bob’ from his horse would see him prevail.
“He’s got a big, awkward head carriage and I knew if it was a bob of a head, we were a chance because he would get his head out,” Currie said.
Ben Hayes, representing the Lindsay Park team, said Sunday’s contest was a good race to watch, especially when their horse was on the right side of the result.
“They went slow early and then they built it up, built it up, and this time he was a lot closer and loomed into it,” Hayes said.
“What I loved about his win today, and I’m sure my brothers will agree, he fought it out.
“He’s often been a horse that can be a bit of a thinker, and he throws away these kinds of races, but he was so genuine and he handled the track beautifully and he ran out a strong 3200 metres.”
