Never a factor in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes when coming off a 16-week break, the Exceedance colt Dublin Down earned the final golden ticket to the Golden Slipper when leading at every call in Saturday’s $250,000 Group II Tab Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by Tim Clark for Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Dublin Down defeated the I Am Invincible colt Anode by a long-neck.
In a leader-dominated race, the Pierata colt Coleman, another to disappoint in the Blue Diamond, made up plenty of ground to finish one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
The winner of the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Caulfield last November, Dublin Down advances his record to two wins and a second from five starts with earnings of $276,590.
Clark said he did not have any preconceived plans.
“I didn’t plan to go out there with any intentions to lead, but I just allowed him to begin and see if I could be in the first five or six, and he travelled so sweetly throughout,” Clark said.
“It was a surprise that he landed there, but I felt that he controlled himself well, and when I asked him to build, he gave a nice response.”
“He quickened up nicely, and he was probably just feeling the effects for the last little bit. But it was a good tough effort.”
Clark has a booking for Straight Charge in the Golden Slipper but feels Dublin Down has earned a chance.
“He’s put his hand up today and said that he’s in good form. Hopefully, the Slipper winner is at home in the box next to Storm Boy; that’s where Straight Charge is.”
Dublin Down was a $370,000 Magic Millions purchase from Edinburgh Park for McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency.
He was the highest-priced yearling by his sire at Magic Millions and the highest-priced colt by his sire at all sales in 2023.
Bred by Ian Smith, Dublin Down is the best of two winners from as many to race for the stakes-winning O’Reilly mare Dublin Lass, who was sold as part of the Edinburgh Park Dispersal at the Magic Millions National Sale along with her weanling filly by Dublin Down’s sire Exceedance.
Vinery Stud’s Coolmore Stud Stakes hero Exceednace has made a very encouraging start to his start career with three winners, led by Dublin Down and the Sandown winner, Flyer.
