It was anything but straight-forward, but Another Wil tightened his grip on next month’s Toorak Handicap with an eventful win in Saturday’s Testa Rossa Stakes at Caulfield.
Those who took the $1.55 about the untapped miler held their breath when he was the victim of interference from Run Harry Run around 250m out in the 1400-metre Listed event.
Trainer Ciaron Maher conceded it was a tough race to watch in the straight, but said Another Wil’s ability to win by 1-1/2 lengths was a mark of his class.
“He’s a big horse, big stride, so it does take him a little while to regain balance,” Maher said.
“But he’s won with a bit in hand. He’s very progressive.”
Another Wil, a five-year-old son of Street Boss, tightened into $2.30 with betting agencies for the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) on October 12 after the win.
He defeated Symon Wilde-trained mare Wishlor Lass ($13) with Run Harry Run ($21) boxing on for third, a further three-quarters-of-a-length away.
The Testa Rossa Stakes win made it back-to-back Caulfield wins for the campaign, with his only defeat in seven starts this year coming when unplaced as favourite in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile, and rider Jamie Kah said his ability to overcome the interference was a sign of his maturity.
“He’s grown into a man now and he pushed his way out of it,” Kah said.
“He’s still got improvement, he’s still had a big blow pulling up.
“I’m just so happy with how much this horse has changed since last prep, now he’s tractable, you don’t have to just jump and lead on him.”
It was a turnaround in fortunes for Maher and Another Wil’s owner/breeder Colin McKenna, who had Federer suffer defeat for the first time in his career when unplaced as a $1.55 favourite in the race won by Regal Zeus.
Maher was back in the winner’s stall 40 minutes after Another Wil’s win when Jimmysstar resumed with a fast-finishing win in the BM100 event over 1100m.
Jimmysstar was ridden by Blake Shinn, who caused the interference to Another Wil aboard Run Harry Run in the Testa Rossa Stakes and was the recipient of a 10-meeting suspension from stewards.
Shinn will commence his ban after next Saturday’s meeting, meaning he misses the Turnbull Stakes meeting on October 5.
It got tight 😬
Another Wil was still way too good in the Testa Rossa! @cmaherracing @jamieleekah07 pic.twitter.com/psR4UoKly1
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 21, 2024
