OTI Racing's wonderful old warhorse Cepheus (GB) lumped top-weight of 60kgs to victory in Thursday's $200,000 Pioneer Services Rowley Mile (1600m) at Hawkesbury.
Taking up the running in the early stages by Nash Rawiller, Cepheus was taken on by a fired-up Yankee Hussel at the halfway mark.
Eased out to regain the lead from Yankee Hussel on straightening, the 8-year-old son of Sea The Stars was strong to the line in defeating Lion's Roar (Contributer) by three-quarters of a length with the favourite Williamsburg (Snitzel) a head back in third.
Trained by Matthew Dunn, Cepheus (GB) advances his record to nine wins, seven seconds, and three thirds from 36 starts with earnings of $2,325,442.
"He just needs these firm tracks, and he is a different horse," Dunn said.
"He was disappointing at Rosehill the other day in the shifty ground, but if he can keep finding good tracks like today, he will keep doing that.
"He is heading to the Big Dance, so that is a nice confidence booster.
"He’s hardly been out of work for two years since his serious tendon injury.
“He will probably follow a similar path to last year, with the Alan Brown Stakes before The Big Dance.”
OTI purchased Cepheus (GB) in a private deal brokered by Stuart Boman after winning a Listed race over 2500m at Deauville in December 2020, hoping to develop him into a Melbourne Cup horse.
He is the best of three winners from five to race for the Van Nistelrooy mare Crimson Cheer, a half-sister to Group III Princess Margaret Stakes winner Mythical Girl (Gone West), whose son Toruk Macto (Authorized) was the Champion Imported 3YO Colt and Stayer in Turkey in 2012.
Mythical Girl’s daughter, Miss Avalon (IRE), is the dam of the Group 1 ARC Diamond Stakes winner Vespa and Group II WATC RJ Peters Stakes winner Hazzabeel.
Another half-sister, Matikanehatusimada (Private Account), is the dam of Dark Shadow, who defeated Real Impact (JPN) in the Group II Mainichi Okan and was second to Tosen Jordan in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and was fourth in Gentildonna’s Japan Cup.
