Redkirk Warrior has stormed home to beat resounding favourite Redzel on the line in an exciting finish to the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) down the Flemington straight this afternoon.
Redkirk Warrior was undefeated down the straight first-up, but incredibly left a $10 shot in the Lightning Stakes market this afternoon.
Jumping from the gates only fairly, jockey Regan Bayliss elected to take a position in behind the pace as Ball Of Muscle, Super Too and Redzel occupied the first three positions in transit.
Redzel kicked clear with 300m to run and while he appeared to have the race won, he was a sitting duck has Redkirk Warrior produced arguably the biggest turn of foot of his career to win the race in a photo.
Bayliss has piloted Redkirk Warrior to all three of his wins in Australia and was thrilled to be aboard the Notnowcato gelding again this afternoon.
“Just David Hayes and Tom and everyone there are freak trainers and they just know how to get this boy on-song,” Bayliss said.
“He’s had a faultless preparation and normally you’d think he’s go to the Newmarket, but that’s why David Hayes is such a genius – 1000m, blinkers off, sit off that good speed and motor home. What a result.
“He’s a brilliant fresh horse and big thanks to Lindsay Park, they’ve always been terrific supporters of mine.”
David Hayes was on hand for Redkirk Warrior’s impressive Black Caviar Lightning Stakes win and confirmed that he will next step out in a defence of his Newmarket Handicap crown in three weeks.
“He ran down the champion and one of the real special straight-track horses he’s becoming,” Hayes said.
“I think he would have been unlucky not to have won – he was badly held-up at the back of the field and I just can’t wait to read his sectionals, they’ll be quite exciting.
“He just seems to really like it, he’s a big scopey horse and he just all his moves seem to come together when the straight races come on. A little bit of luck and a little bit of planning.
“We’ll be back here in a few weeks in the Newmarket. He’ll probably carry a bit of a fine for this, but I find sprinters can carry weight and he’s a big, strong horse.”
Redkirk Warrior is $21 into $7 to win the Newmarket Handicap following this afternoon’s win in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes