Trainer Craig Conron, who had doubts about his return to Flemington as a trainer not long ago, was welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure on Saturday.
The Geelong horseman made a successful comeback as Vegas Jack continued its impressive winning streak in the $150,000 Country Racing It’s Got It All Trophy, contested over 2540 metres.
This victory was Conron’s first at Flemington since Distant Melody’s Black Type success during the 2007 Melbourne Cup Carnival. The 62-year-old expressed his profound pleasure at being back.
“It’s great to be back here and it’s great to be having a winner here,” he said. “I get a kick anytime they win, but when it’s a Saturday at Flemington it’s a much bigger kick.”
Vegas Jack, a $9.50 selection under jockey Dean Yendall, won by 1-1/4 lengths from The Western Front ($5.50), with Bold Soul ($7) a further half-length adrift in third.
Conron has had limited opportunities to compete at Flemington in recent seasons, having taken a six-year hiatus from training, which included brief periods in Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
During this break, he assisted his daughter in managing her mobile coffee van enterprise.
Conron acquired Vegas Jack for a modest $13,000 through an online purchase in January of the previous year. The gelding had previously been unplaced in two starts for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
The So You Think gelding proved victorious on its debut for Conron and has since accumulated five additional wins, including its last four races consecutively.
This Flemington success followed a benchmark 66 victory at the Swan Hill carnival. Conron is effusive about the four-year-old’s potential.
“I still think he’s six or 12 months off doing what he’s going to do, so what we’re getting now, I know it sounds silly, is a bonus,” Conron said.
Conron was not the only trainer to end a significant Flemington drought on Saturday, as Alex Rae also achieved his second win at the venue.
The emerging Cranbourne trainer saddled Imperatriz’s half-brother, I’mateez, to win the $150,000 Rod Johnson 3YO Handicap over 1100 metres.
This marked Rae’s first Flemington triumph since his noteworthy debut on Oaks Day in 2018 when Cochada claimed the Country Final.
“I trained my first winner here with my first runner in 2018 and it’s been eight years between drinks,” Rae remarked. “Everywhere else been pretty fruitful, so this is a great result.”
I’mateez, a gelding by Capitalist that started at $9, finished 1-3/4 lengths ahead of La Astro Chat ($16), with Prestar ($4.20) a neck behind in third.
For those interested in the racing action, checking out the online bookmakers can provide valuable insights into betting markets for the race.
