Last year’s Golden Mile is just one of the many races in Von Hauke’s career that Cliff Brown would rather forget and, for a tick over a minute on Saturday, he feared the 2026 edition would filed away in the same folder.
But, unlike last year when the regularly-unlucky gelding was held up for much of the straight before being beaten 1-1/2 lengths when fourth, he got the gaps when needed to power to a thrilling win in the $200,000 Listed event.
Brown is used to having his heart in his mouth watching the six-year-old race and he was just glad to see the late-maturer get the breaks required for what he considered a deserved win.
“I thought it might be history repeating itself, that’s for sure,” Brown said when asked his thoughts in the run.
“Good on him. He’s a lovely horse and he seems to be getting better.
“I think mentally he’s better. Physically I think they take time, but mentally he’s a lot better. He still overraced a little bit, but he’s far better than he was.”
Von Hauke, who started $11 at Bendigo, notched the fifth win of his 27-start career when he weaved through to strike the front inside the final 100m and then survive a late challenge from Wonder Boy ($4.60) to claim the 1600m event.
Resuming stayer Shockletz ($12) caught the eye late, charging into third position just a further half-length back.
Von Hauke’s victory was his first since another nail-biting success, in the Group 2 Crystal Mile on Cox Plate Day, and winning jockey Harry Coffey said he backed the horse’s class.
“He’s got a great little turn of foot, he just needs races run to suit,” Coffey said.
“He was the best horse in the race, he just needed things to be run how he likes, it was and we’ve seen how good he is.”
Brown said Von Hauke would now most likely head to Queensland for the Winter Carnival and while he did not have a set plan, he did not rule out dropping back to 1400m for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in early June.
