Sandpaper has held on to beat the fast finishing Angry Skies in the Listed Gothic Stakes over 1400m for the three-year-old colts and geldings.
After Custodian set up hot tempo, Sandpaper could have been forgiven for dropping out of the race but no such thing happened, as Jamie Kah got her colt to the outside and was too good in the closing stages.
The James Cummings-trained Sandpaper had to hold off Angry Skies who was on his back throughout the run, while Custodian beaten by the 200m mark stuck on well for third.
2022 Gothic Stakes Replay
For James Cummings and the Godolphin team it was the second win of the day, after Cascadian won at Randwick earlier in the day.
“Well I thought it was really instructive for us because we had been at a bit of a cross roads with Sandpaper. I’ve been struck by the horse as being something of a promising miler and I have just never quite been able to get the right set up with the horse,” said Cummings who was very happy to finally see it all come together for Sandpaper today.
“Getting up in trip now, he looks like he could be a good Carbine Club horse.”
Jamie Kah rode her first winner of the day after her success with Sandpaper.
This win could be the kick off point of a big day for the number one jockey in Victoria at the moment.
“Look, the first thing I said to him then was I’m really sorry. The plan was to be neutral and to get him just to finish off and then go onto that race (Carbine Club Stakes). But when I jumped in 100m I just had no choice.” Kah said she didn’t ride to instructions but she was given no choice after the horse jumped so well.
Sandpaper will now go onto the Carbine Club Stakes over 1600m at Flemington on Derby Day on October 29, where he will hard to beat again.
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