Another Metro Winner For Oliver
- Wednesday, 28 July 2010 05:04
Luke Oliver doubled his tally of metropolitan winners for the 2009/10 season in the space of five days.
The Caulfield-based trainer celebrated the win of Diazling on Saturday at Moonee Valley to move his overall number to three wins and this afternoon at Betfair Park Sandown Hillside his fourth victory came from an unlikely source.
Despised outsider in the field of five, Don’t Tell Pat ($9-$13) lead from start to finish in the $30,000 Winlake Handicap (1000m) to win by 2-1/4 lengths ahead of Signor Socks ($2-$2.15 fav) and Fermino Courage ($6-$5).
Mr Moxie ($4-$4.60) finished fourth while Orchestra Stalls ($4.80-$6.50) was last in the field of five.
Oliver said the horse was given to him after trainer Brendan Woodman placed the horse in his care.
“The owner, Brendan Woodman, just rang me up on the way home from the races.” Oliver said.
“He was going to Las Vegas for a couple of weeks and wanted to know if I could take care of the horse for him.
“He’s a difficult horse to get right, I didn’t think he was 100 percent today and probably the only instruction I told Craig (Williams) today was not to lead.
“That’s why he rides them and I train them,” he quipped.
Finishing eighth of ninth last start at Swan Hill in a 0-78 Handicap (975m) in June, Don’t Tell Pat ambled through the Heavy (9) going under the guidance of jockey Craig Williams.
“I was more worried about having my horse comfortable on the ground and I didn’t want to let go of him because he’s quite a soft horse,” Williams said.
“Our goal was trying to ride him to run second, not to expose him too early and put him under pressure because we needed him to get through the ground.
“Today on paper it was never going to be a normal five furlong race in midweek or Saturday company.
“We just came to the conclusion to trust him and ride him wherever he wants.
“Luke’s done a great job with the horse, I rode this horse last year and at only his second start for Luke the horse is going really well,” he added.
The rising seven-year-old son of Monashee Mountain has now won six times and been placed six times from 27 starts for $176,913 in prizemoney.
Pictures: Colin Bull
