Luke Cartwright achieved a career milestone on Saturday, partnering Wise Inlaw to victory in the $175,000 A R Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
The leading metropolitan apprentice jockey in Victoria secured his first Stakes success aboard the gelding trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman in the Listed race.
This was Cartwright’s 43rd Black Type start, including eight Group 1 races. He recalled a near miss with Extragalactic in this year’s The Goodwood, and expressed his immense satisfaction at finally winning a Stakes race.
“It’s just a bit of a weight off my shoulders,” Cartwright said.
“It’s made me a lot more determined to work even harder at it, because it doesn’t come overnight.
“We went close in a few of the bigger races, but that just made me to come back down to basics through winter, knuckle down, tidy up a few things in my riding and I can’t thank the team behind me enough.”
In the Creswick Stakes, Wise Inlaw was positioned just off the speed of Prince Tycoon by Cartwright. The pair battled strongly, with Wise Inlaw ($7) eventually getting the upper hand by half-a-length at the finish.
Third place was claimed by the New South Wales visitor Chains Of Love, the $4.20 favourite, who finished 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner.
Wise Inlaw returned $7 to its supporters on various Australian betting sites, while the favourite Chains Of Love ($4.20) and Prince Tycoon were among the key runners in the betting markets offered by betting sites.
The win gave Moody and Coleman consecutive victories in the Creswick Stakes, following Bridal Waltz’s triumph last year. Moody commented that the key to the win was the realisation that the son of Wootton Bassett was a sprinter.
“We always thought he was a seven-furlong (horse), miler but about eight or 10 weeks ago we made the decision that he couldn’t run 1400,” Moody stated.
“We brought him back to the straight and he was very impressive here three runs back.
“I think we went to the Bletchingly Stakes after she (Bridal Waltz) won this last year, but realistic he’s probably ready for a little break.
“He might have time for a freshen up and be back at Caulfield, but we’ll let him guide the path.”
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