Ciaron Maher and Mark Zahra have combined with Southport Tycoon ($21) to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat by nosing out his stablemate Growing Empire ($3.80) on the line to take out the Group 1 Manikato Stakes.
Maher trained four of the 12 runners in the Moonee Valley feature, but of those, Southport Tycoon would have been his fourth seed, and the three-year-old colt was his best chance.
However, the lack of experience may have told in the concluding stages with Growing Empire, who appeared to float in the final 50m and potentially threw the race away by doing so.
As expected, the tempo was very strong as Estriella ($8) crossed the field to lead from Growing Empire, and they put two lengths on the rest of the field by the halfway point.
Growing Empire gave a strong kick upon straightening and appeared to have the race within his keeping, but it was Southport Tycoon who got into clear air and sprouted wings late.
Mark Zahra took an inside run along the rail and gave the eventual winner a peach of a ride to flash home before putting in a big dive on the line to claim the victory in a photo finish.
2024 Manikato Stakes replay – Southport Tycoon
Ciaron Maher was elated with the win, and he spoke post-race.
“He raced really well around The Valley, he needed that first-up run. I said to Nath, he went from a boy to a man over the break,” Maher said of the winner.
“He needed that first-up just to get him back in the swing of things.
“A month between runs, tria, – he sort of put the writing on the board in the trial, his sectionals were phenomenal late.
“I thought Mark was the perfect jockey for him, because you had to play that nice waiting race, nice waiting ride.”
Mark Zahra was quick to mention that he has ridden the runner-up previously in his post-race interview and that he knew where he was vulnerable.
“I just rode him for luck. I mean seeing my other horse in front like that, geez, he gave such a good chase,” Zahra said.
“Me and Ciaron were quietly the confident like he was going really well and I didn’t even have a chance to pull the whip, you know.
“I was coming through that quick and just got the stride in the right time.
“Ciaron’s a master trainer; like I went up and trialled him probably six weeks ago, and he was you know a bit fat and he went just okay, and then I went up to Sydney and rode him, and I seen him again the other day with the blinkers on at the jump outs, and he just looked like a new horse.
“He’s just he knows how to get these horses ready at the right time, and I’m happy to be on there the otherside with a roughy winning.
“I wasn’t sure if I won or not – I was coming that fast and knowing the other horse , he’s a stargazer.
“He would have thought him and Craig I reckon would have thought they won.
“And if there’s the only way to beat that horse is to get him late before he can see you coming. Lucky I know him well.”
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