Feature race wins have become familiar territory for Max Whitby, but in the lead-up to the first million-dollar edition of The Archer, the seasoned slot-holder found himself scrambling for a runner to fill his spot.
Enter Lubrication — a galloper who had caught Whitby’s eye after finishing third at Eagle Farm last start — and together with a composed ride by Jake Bayliss and the training of Matthew Dunn, they delivered an upset victory in the Rockhampton feature over 1300 metres at $17 odds.
“You wouldn’t believe it,” Whitby said.
“We ran third last week in Brisbane and I suggested it to Matt Dunn because I was struggling to get a horse for this.
“I said to him, ‘I thought that bloke went alright’, so I thought let’s go. It was a bit of an afterthought but a real thought.”
Lubrication, who raced wide throughout at Eagle Farm on April 19 in a Class 3 over 1400 metres, proved he was up to the task in tougher company.
“I didn’t rule him out,” Bayliss said.
“He sat three wide the trip last start and stuck on nicely.
“I did think, going through his form, he is better off just left alone. He was a tad fractious in the gates and he stepped slow but I just let him do his own thing.
“He dragged me into it at the top of the straight. We were just banking on a run and when he got one he really let down and put them away nicely.”
Lubrication crossed the line a length clear of Tony Gollan-trained Comrade Rosa ($11), ridden by Craig Williams, while Transatlantic ($4.60) finished a further 1¾ lengths away in third.
The consolation race, The Fitzroy (1300m), went to Lost In Transit ($21), trained by Stuart Kendrick and ridden by Kyle Wilson-Taylor, who notched his second Fitzroy win in a row. The pair edged out local runner Cherry Rose ($17) in a tight finish.
“I couldn’t believe the odds he was,” Wilson-Taylor said.
“The gate was against him, but it was a really good effort.”
Earlier in the day, Executive Stress ($4.80) claimed the Rocky Amateurs Cup (1600m) with Pat Webster and jockey Nikita Beriman combining for the win.
