Cindy Alderson’s decision to push Liqueuro out in distance to 2000 metres at his second start paid off with an impressive effort to win at Flemington and in doing so he kept his undefeated record intact.
Alderson said Liqueuro always indicated he was going to be a stayer and she even toyed with kicking his career off over 2000 metres.
Instead she took the son of Fiorente to Mornington where he won his debut over 1500 metres.
“I thought he really did need 2000 metres, which he needed every inch today to win,” Alderson said.
“He’s been one of those horses that he doesn’t do a lot in trackwork but he does keep on keeping on, keeps on finding.”
Liqueuro was ridden by Jamie Kah and she said she followed Alderson’s instructions which were not to ride him pretty.
Kah said Liqueuro needed every inch of the 2000 metres and was a big raw horse who had staying potential.
Liqueuro ($4.20 fav) finished strongly to defeat Alloway ($9) by a 1/2 neck with Solar Apex ($5.50) 3/4 lengths away third.
Patrick Payne made it three consecutive Flemington winners when Japery took out the opening event the 1100m Benchmark 78 for three-year-olds.
At the previous Flemington meeting Payne trained Defibrillate and Ididitforlove to win. He has also trained six winners from 14 starts during the past week.
Payne entrusted stable apprentice Tahlia Hope with the ride as she rides him in track-work.
Hope said that Payne thought Japery would be suited by the straight as he could roll along in the front.
“He thought that would be his go. Lucky it went to plan today,” Hope said.
Hope said she was surprised that Japery could win by four lengths.
Japery ($15) defeated Pioneer River ($8.50) by four lengths with Hydro Star ($19) a nose away third.
Then in the following race the Simon Zahra and Mat Ellerton stable recorded their 11th win for the year and their sixth in the city when High ‘N’ Dry took out the Summer Twilight Racing (Benchmark 70) over 1600 metres.
