Stable favourite Nonconformist completed a red-letter day for the Grahame Begg stable with a jaw-dropping performance in the Group II Tab Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Still celebrating the win of Passive Aggressive over Eduardo and Giga Kick in the Challenge Stakes at Randwick, Grahame Begg watched on from his old stamping ground as Nonconformist turned back the clock.
Ridden by Harry Coffey, the 6yo son of Rebel Raider came from well back to defeat the Exceed And Excel gelding Pounding by a widening two and a quarter lengths.
The Zoustar 3yo Zou Tiger was a further half-length back in third.
Making his reappearance since finishing unplaced in the Caulfield Cup last spring, Nonconformist advanced his record to six wins, four seconds, and four thirds from 25 starts with earnings of $1,918,900.
Stable representative Chris Hyland said it came as a pleasant surprise.
“His trials have been ok, and we thought that now he’s a bit older he might take a bit of time, Hyland said.
“But having said that, I watched him in other preparations, and he’s kicked off in races with no tempo.
“This race had really good tempo, and then just before the turn, he was starting to smoke up and you got a feel that he was going to be in the race, So, that was probably the first time he’s got a bit of tempo.
“I think Grahame was happy to see how he kicked off and then see what opened up from there, but the Australian Cup and All-Star Mile come under consideration.”
A homebred for the Henwood family, Nonconformist is the best of two winners from as many foals for the Hold That Tiger mare Good Thinking who raced in the same colours as Nonconformist.
She won three races and placed at Flemington and Moonee Valley. Sadly, both Nonconformist’s sire and dam are no longer with us.
