Ciaron Maher and Jamie Kah have delivered an emotional victory in the Group 2 Damien Oliver, with Another Wil ($3.90) bouncing back to form with a classy win at Flemington.
Following part-owner Colin McKenna’s passing during the week, connections of Another Wil were left in tears following the victory, as it seemed as though someone above opened a passage for Kah to weave through in the final 200m.
The son of Street Boss jumped well from barrier two, but many would have been surprised when Kah chose to settle behind the speed influences, The Astrologist ($34), Not An Option ($71) and Steparty ($18).
With the race being run at a solid clip throughout the 1400m contest, the runs from the back of the field started to come, as Steparty, Tamerlane ($11) and Jimmysstar ($2.20) started to finish off down the middle of the track.
While those few built momentum and got going from the 300m mark, Another Wil had to wait for a gap to appear on the inside of runners; however, when the gap opened, he burst through with a strong finish.
Just as it looked like Jimmysstar was going to swamp the leaders out wide, his stablemate pushed through to take over in the final 100m and record an impressive 1.25-length victory.
2024 Damien Oliver replay – Another Wil
Ciaron Maher was clearly emotional following the win when he was quick to speak about McKenna and what he meant to his stable.
“It’s pretty special,” Maher said.
“A lot of Col’s family and friends are in the horse. That’s why he loves racing.
“He bred it, there’s no more passionate person.
“Great mate, great mentor. He would just love to be here today. But I’m sure he’s looking down. Pretty special.
“Thought he’d run back to form.
“Yeah, Janice is watching on at Woolsthorpe- all the best to you.
“Great job by the team. Just changed things up a little bit for him, brought him down to Cranbourne, just that simple fact, the change.
“Jamie back on. She knows him very well.
“Jimmy was great. I thought he had the momentum there to knock Wil off and it was a bit tight in there but no, she’s made a steal, she was very good.
“Possibly Rupert Clarke (next run). Might even have a nom in the Champions Mile.”
Jamie Kah echoed similar sentiments about McKenna in her post-race interview.
“He (McKenna) was just the best person. Ask anyone in the industry. It doesn’t feel real that he’s not here,” Kah said.
“I just trust this horse. He’s done it before. He’s pushed his way through gaps before.
“I wasn’t worried because I knew the horse I had underneath me, but we; me and Ciaron spoke briefly before, and said, ‘Just get him cover. Just get him behind a horse, and then you’ll do the rest,’ and he did.
“He’s just a tough horse, and he can’t be leading in these classes of races and winning anymore, he’s got to get cover, and then after that, it was up to him and up to Col to open some gaps for us.
“The last message I had to Col was, ‘What did you think of Another Wil in the Toorak?’ and I just said, ‘You know, maybe this, maybe that.’ He said, ‘No, no, I think it’s just a Jamie horse.’
“So I was glad he was right. Maybe he was just a Jamie horse, but hopefully there’s a Group 1 in store for him and Col will be watching.”
Another Wil is an $8 chance with horse racing bookmakers in the Group 1 Champions Mile futures markets.
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