Reigning Caulfield Cup champion Duke De Sessa returned with a tough win in the Group 3 JRA Plate (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon, after proving the superior stayer in the concluding stages of the 1600m contest.
The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding claimed the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) before running ninth in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) to end his spring campaign, indicating that he was the clear class horse in the race; however, he was still sent out as a +1300 roughie with BlondeBet.
Buffalo River (+3300) did his usual thing out in front and ran the race along at a strong tempo, with Howgoodareyou (+1400) trailing by two lengths by the halfway point ahead of Chorlton Lane (+280) and Elphinstone (+700).
Duke De Sessa settled behind the top four with cover and just needed a gap to appear on the home turn to get into clear air, while Wings Of Song (+750) and Marble Arch (+400) made searching runs three and four wide.
Blake Shinn aboard Chorlton Lane took over quickly in the home straight, which gave Harry Coffey a gap to push the eventual winner into to chase the leader down.
Marble Arch was flying down the outside of the track to challenge the top two, but it was Duke De Sessa in between that poked his head through late to claim victory.
Ciaron Maher was very happy with the win, and he spoke post-race.
“It might be (his best preparation to come); it was a come-out preparation last time around, and you just love seeing a stayer resume like that, it usually means they’re in for a good preparation,” Maher said of the winner.
“The team have done a super job with him. He looked really good in the skin. Harry’s got a really good understanding of him as well.
“I actually didn’t think he’d win on top of the ground over a mile, but it’s a lovely surprise, and Chorlton (Lane) was good also.
“We don’t give those stayers too long off.
“We just sort of change it up, keep them happy, keep them ticking over and he’s just improving.
“He used to be a little bit fierce, and as he’s got a little bit older, he just relaxes that little bit more and it was fantastic.
“Great to have Harry on; he’s a great fella, and he rides him well.
“He might go through an Australian Cup now. That’s his plan, he may step out, it depends on what weight he gets when goes back to handicap conditions but he’s in for a good prep anyway, either way.”
Harry Coffey brought up a riding treble with the win, and he was very happy in his post-race interview.
“You always know that good horses are going to run well, but he just had a lot against him,” Coffey said.
“I pulled him out at the top of the straight when I got the run, and he pinned his ears back and found plenty.
“When they do what he does, it just makes my job easy. He’s just getting better the longer Ciaron and the team have him.
“Even though it was a good race, a Group race, they said don’t panic too much, just have him running well; our job is to have him right in a few runs time when the tracks are a bit softer in Sydney.
“Well, that makes me very excited to think the improvement he’s going to take and how competitive he’ll be when he goes up there.
“I’ll be honest, I’ve had probably a slight bit of a lean patch, and I was actually running through different occupations that I could be thinking of.
“You go through them stages, and then today, on a Group 1 day, I’ve turned up and ridden well and been on horses that have been able to take me to the right spots.
“To be fair, this time of year, if you don’t get the blood rocking, you shouldn’t be in the caper, and it’s nice to be able to deliver.”
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