Classy Victorian sprinter Do It has always had Group 1 potential and he delivered on the big stage on Friday night when careering away from litter brother and kennelmate Mr. Fix It to win the TAB Adelaide Cup final (530m) at the new-look Angle Park.
A son of 2015 Adelaide Cup hero Fernando Bale and Alpha Demeter bred in Queensand by Chris Georgiou, Do It handed Jeff Britton his second Adelaide Cup trophy, with the prolific Anakie trainer having won the race in 2011 with Mepunga Nicky.
Britton and partner Angela Langton qualified three finalists for the $100,000 to-the-winner Cup, with Weblec Blazer and Do It winning their heats in 30.25sec and 30.36sec respectively, while Keep It Black also advanced after running second in his heat.
Keep It Black was scratched from the final with a triangle muscle injury and that elevated another kennelmate, G1 Maturity Classic placegetter Mr. Fix It, into the field, which changed the complexion of the race as he looked the likely leader.
After gaining a start from Box 3, Mr. Fix It was the $4.80 second elect, ahead of Weblec Blazer (Box 4) at $6.50, while Do It (Box 2) was the outsider of the Britton/Langton trio at $8.50.
Do It came into the Adelaide Cup series off a very limited preparation, with his heat win his first start since August 19 when he was injured in a 595m race at Sandown.
“I thought he was well-boxed and told Jarrod (Sharp) he should have a bet but he said he didn’t need to!”
The market was dominated by another Victorian in superstar Aston Rupee, trained by Glenn Rounds, which started at $1.85 from Box 8.
Aston Rupee had secured direct entry into the final courtesy of winning the Match Race Challenge, where he clocked 29.95sec, the only sub-30sec run at the recently revamped Angle Park circuit to date.
“I thought Mr. Fix It was going to finish in the first three, whatever happened, because he was just going to lead, while if Do It was at his best, he was probably my best chance and Weblec Blazer is just improving all the time,” said Jeff Britton.
“Aston Rupee drawing Box 8 added a lot of interest to the race and gave other dogs a chance.
“If the race was held a couple of months ago, Do It would’ve been about $4 or $5. He was the fastest dog I had in the kennel.
“I thought he was very disappointing when he ran second in the 595m race at Sandown but then we found out he had a slight tear in the bottom of his back muscle.
WATCH: Do It (2) ran down litter brother and kennelmate Mr. Fix It (9) to win the G1 Adelaide Cup final (530m) on Friday night, with hot favourite Aston Rupee (8) unable to overcome the outside alley.
“He had a month off and had only had five hand-slips at my track before his trial at Angle Park (30.47sec). Then he wasn’t that impressive in his heat win.
“I spoke to his owner Jarrod Sharp, who also owned my (2004) National Derby winner Pacific Sky, and said I’m sure he’ll come good but whether it would be this week or a couple of weeks’ time I wasn’t certain.
“I thought he was well-boxed and told Jarrod he should have a bet but he said he didn’t need to!”
Odds-on favourite Aston Rupee was in huge trouble from box-rise after a poor start from the outside alley, as Do It was best to begin before being out-paced by Mr. Fix It.
Do It was camped behind Mr. Fix It and after levelling up to his sibling approaching the home turn he careered away to score by 3.25 lengths in a Best Of Night 30.07sec, with Aston Rupee rattling to the line to finish fourth.
“Do It hasn’t been a bad box dog, but he seems to stumble out sometimes and takes a couple of strides to get going,” Britton said.
“When he was sitting that close and going well up the back he was going to be hard to beat but he needed to get to Mr. Fix It early.
“There’s been quite a few times when he hasn’t been able to get past Mr. Fix It at The Meadows because when Mr. Fix It gets into the home straight he runs off a bit and the dogs chasing him have to do a bigger arc to get around him.
“Weblec Blazer was probably one of the hard-luck stories, along with Aston Rupee, but that’s going to happen when you’re coming from behind.”
Do It has now won 13 of his 43 starts and $198,935 in prizemoney.
It was Do It’s first appearance in a Group 1 event, having been reserve for both the Silver Chief and Brisbane Cup, while he’d finished runner-up in the G2 Flying Amy Classic and qualified for the G2 Warrnambool Cup final.
