The Chris Waller trained Comin’ Through claimed his first Group 1 victory when he beat stablemate Egg Tart in the 2018 $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Comin’ Through, above, broke through for a maiden Group 1 in the 2018 Doomben Cup at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.

Winning jockey Michael Waker was at his best to salute on Comin’ Through who jumped from the outside barrier in the eleven horse Doomben Cup field and was able to slot the four year old in midfield before grinding to the line to gain the winning trophy.

Comin’ Through ($9) had a neck to spare over Egg Tart ($15) with the Anthony Freedman trained Japanese import Ambitious ($9.50) filling third sport.

The Mick Price trained Oregon’s Day with Jim Byrne in the saddle was sent out as the $3.80 favourite and ran home for fifth.

Walker said that it wasn’t an easy ride but he was very happy with the result.

“This was a hard one,” Walker said.

“Going out of the straight he wanted to hang in, going down the back he wanted to hang out, then he wanted to hang back in.”

“He’s a weird horse. If he put his mind to the job, he’s a Group 1 horse day in day out, but he just doesn’t try. I got past the second horse and he literally tried to stop to a canter.

“To give credit to the horse, he just does enough. Every time I win on him it’s by a half head, a head or a nose. That’s his go.”

Comin’ Through had shown plenty of promise in is three year old season and was Group 1 placed when third in the $1m Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick during the 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Waller took a huge gamble when he recommended to Comin’ Through’s owners to geld the four year old and fortunately for the leading trainer the anticipated result of a Group 1 victory has been achieved.

“It was a tough decision, but (his owner) Sir Owen (Glenn) didn’t muck around. I asked him and he said yes the next day,” Waller said.

“My head was on the block to make sure he came out of it better, because obviously he’s a well-related horse.

“I do think it’s been the making of him, for sure. He was a pretty casual horse and he was taking a while to put it all together and that was a big part of it.”

Comin’ Through had come through a tough Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign with a second to Happy Clapper in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) followed by a fifth to super star stablemate Winx in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), both at Randwick followed buy an unlucky sixth to Oregon’s Day in the Group 2 $358,000 Attwood Marshall A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 5.

2018 Doomben Cup Results