Illustrious Lad has produced a big late turn of foot to deliver a talented field a big upset in the Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) at Flemington; the final race on Derby Day 2016.
Illustrious Lad produced a career-best performance to win the Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes this afternoon. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Illustrious Lad was rated only an outside chance of success in the Linlithgow Stakes, but did his chances of success plenty of good when he jumped well and took a nice position in transit on the heels of Keen Array and Dothraki.
Settling into a good rhythm, jockey Anthony Darmanin produced the horse at the right time and rewarded when the I Am Invincible gelding mustered a big turn of foot to find the line comfortably ahead of Counterattack and Southern Legend.
Darmanin has partnered Illustrious Lad in each of his three starts this season and was thrilled to be on the horse in what is a career-best performance and result to date.
“It’s just amazing,” Darmanin said.
“This horse has just been so good to me and I just have to be thankfully to Peter Gelagotis, Manny and all the owners for sticking by me today.
“At Caulfield he was unlucky, but he’s just given me so much confidence because he just travels so easily and gives all he’s got.
“I thought I’d just keep him happy, keep the momentum up and he was just too strong.”
Peter Gelagotis was thrilled with the horse’s performance to win the Linlithgow Stakes and revealed that the horse could be set for a race like the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in 2017.
“It’s the first time we’ve challenged him at the top level,” Gelagotis said.
“I’ve ducked and weaved and picked the most suitable races. He’s built a great CV the horse, he’s been amazing.
“I just though coming into today, his last run he was so stiff. There’s always a hard-luck story and I thought it was a genuine one.
“Credit to Anthony Darmanin; he’s not the profile jockey that some of the big boys are credited for, but he won a race for us last night and buttered it up here today.”
In taking out the 2016 Linlithgow Stakes this afternoon, Illustrious Lad has now posted a career total of nine wins and four minors through twenty-five competitive starts.
2016 Linlithgow Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | ILLUSTRIOUS LAD | Peter Gelagotis | Anthony Darmanin | – | 6 | 54.5kg | $14 |
| 2 | 6 | COUNTERATTACK | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 1.25L | 7 | 55kg | $7 |
| 3 | 11 | SOUTHERN LEGEND | Les Bridge | Tim Clark | 1.45L | 8 | 54.5kg | $3.70F |
| 4 | 5 | KEEN ARRAY | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Joao Moreira | 1.95L | 4 | 56.5kg | $5 |
| 5 | 2 | BALL OF MUSCLE | Joseph Pride | Kerrin McEvoy | 2.35L | 3 | 57.5kg | $15 |
| 6 | 3 | DOTHRAKI | Peter & Paul Snowden | Blake Shinn | 2.65L | 11 | 57kg | $16 |
| 7 | 7 | DURENDAL | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Damian Lane | 4.15L | 10 | 54.5kg | $19 |
| 8 | 9 | WE’VE GOT THIS | Greg Eurell | Chad Schofield | 4.9L | 5 | 54.5kg | $9.50 |
| 9 | 1 | DIBAYANI (IRE) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 5.65L | 2 | 58kg | $21 |
| 10 | 4 | GENERALIFE | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 5.95L | 9 | 57kg | $31 |
| 11 | 8 | OCEAN EMBERS | Shea Eden | Craig Williams | 6.7L | 1 | 54.5kg | $13 |
