Harlem has completed a huge boilover on Super Saturday, flying home on the rail to win the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at odds of $61.
The Lindsay Park team elected to geld the classy import after he failed to live up to the hype during his 2017 Spring Carnival preparation, but the son of Champs Elysee was only fair in his first two starts this time was friendless in Australian Cup betting.
Jumping from the gates well, jockey Michael Walker elected to take a sit on Harlem as Supply And Demand, Gailo Chop and The Taj Mahal traded blows on pace.
Walker began to thread the needle with Harlem as the field turned for home and found himself on the heels of the leaders with 300m to travel. Finally getting the gap between Gailo Chop and Almandin, Walker and Harlem made it count; savaging the line for a career-best win.
Gailo Chop ran on well for second, while Ventura Storm produced his best performance in Australia to date to finish third.
Walker won the Australian Cup for the Lindsay Park team with Spillway in 2015 and was thrilled to pilot another of their horses to success this afternoon.
“The way that the races are playing today, close to the fence is like lightning,” Walker said of his ride on Harlem.
“I just had a beautiful run the whole way. I was inside the favourite and when he took off, my horse tried to go with him and I had nowhere to go, so I just had to slow him down.
“I was always confident, I had a lap-full of horse and I just had to get the gap. When I got it, he just put them away.
“He’s had a couple of runs under his belt and the Lindsay Park team had him spot-on today and ready to run a run.”
David Hayes was pleased with Harlem’s performance and win in the Australian Cup and revealed that he is likely-to-be set for the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m)
“His first-up run was comparable to Gailo Chop’s, but he got a little bit of a cold between runs. We are able to get him up on the farm, with his head down and treat him and he got over it and he was back to his brilliant best.
“Michael Walker was just outstanding, he found the fast track and he got the money, which was great.
“We just backed right off his training and just gave him lots of time in the paddock. Its really turned him around.
“He’s going to Sydney. We bought him as a stayer, but when he was a colt and it got a bit tough, he wouldn’t let go at the finishing but gee, he let go today. He passed an in-form Gailo Chop.
“We’ll look at the Sydney Cup because they (Harlem and Ventura Storm) were bought to be Melbourne Cup horses.”
Harlem and Ventura Storm have firmed into Sydney Cup odds of $15 following the 2018 Australian Cup.