Conquering Adds To Impressive Record
- Sunday, 13 February 2011 07:45
Popular Tasmanian veteran Conquering showed there was still plenty of life in his legs when he kicked back strongly to record the 23rd win of his career in the Thomas Lyons Stakes at Hobart.
Trainer Charlie Goggin said he thought the eight-year-old was gone when challenged by last year's winner Royal Ida.
However the gutsy gelding found plenty under pressure to win Sunday's Listed race by three-quarters of a length from Rocky Times.
The favourite, 10-year-old Royal Ida, wilted on his run and finished 1-1/4 lengths away third.
Conquering, who also won the Thomas Lyons (1400m) in 2009, gave Goggin his fifth win in the Listed race.
The gelding was bred and is raced by the Goggin family's Runnymede Racing and Breeding Pty Ltd managed by the trainer's wife Lindy.
"We're obviously very pleased with the horse. It was a race we set him for and when he's right he gives his best," Goggin said.
"Today he looked beaten. I thought he was gone but he fought back really strongly."
Conquering, who has earned $903,845 prize money over 79 starts, is certainly a favourite of the Goggin family.
"We bred the horse and weaned him and my daughter (Luella) broke him in so it has been a family affair," Goggin said.
"Michael Voss his handler has done a fantastic job with him also and he's won at the four metropolitan courses in Melbourne and he's won each time he's gone over there.
"To win $900,000 as a Tasmanian-trained horse is a pretty good effort."
Conquering will now try to boost his record even further in the George Adams Stakes (1600m) on Launceston Cup Day at Mowbray on February 23.
"If he won the George Adams he'll probably to go to Melbourne for the Blamey Stakes," Goggin said.
"He's a tough horse."
The Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) is run at Flemington on March 12.
