Dylan Gibbons and Bjorn Baker have combined with Alegron (+700) to take out the Group 2 Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday afternoon.
The five-year-old gelding entered the 3200m contest off the back of a strong performance behind the Hezashocka in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup two weeks ago at the same track over 2400m.
After jumping from barrier nine, Gibbons took his mount to the back of the field and allowed the race to unfold before getting on the back of Amade (+600) turning for home, and when he asked for an effort, the son of Teofilo let down with a strong finish.
As expected, Knight’s Order (+2000) ran the race along at a good tempo at the front of the field, with his stablemate Goldman (+900) settled behind in second; however, the leading division began to struggle at the 400m mark, and the swoopers started to make their runs.
The race favourite with online bookmakers, Mostly Cloudy (+125), stayed towards the inside and looked for gaps but was held up until the 200m mark behind the slowing leaders; meanwhile, Captain Envious (+900) and Alegron took over and started to draw away.
Once Mostly Cloudy got a run on the inside rail, he finished off strongly, but he had to settle for a second-place finish ahead of Captain Envious, still a length off the winner, with Warning (+1200) running home nicely into fourth.
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Jim Clark was on course to represent the Bjorn Baker stable in the post-race interview.
“He’s been a fantastic horse since Bjorn bought him relatively inexpensively,” Clark said.
“He’s had a really good prep and his run the other day put the writing on the wall.
“They were very confident he’d be strong at the end of two miles.
“They ran along nicely and it was a really cool ride from Dylan. Great result.
“Each run he has kept improving physically.
“I thought he looked a million dollars today. Stepping up to the two miles is the key.
“I’m sure that is the ultimate aim (Melbourne Cup).
“It’d be a great story – an online purchase and one that could get to a Melbourne Cup after a wind operation. Bjorn has had very good luck with that.”
Dylan Gibbons spoke about the ease of the win post-race.
“I only had to think for about 400 meters, so it was great,” Gibbons said of his ride on the winner.
“His run the other day was enormous and he took me into the race.
”I just had to give him that good 400-metres and I knew he’d be tough for me late and he had to be.
“I had a look back through his form and he’d won over 2800-metres so Bjorn isn’t afraid to get him out (in distance).”
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