Having finished third in the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) back in 2021, rising 10yo Lucas Cranach (GER) gelding Flash Aah was back for another attempt on Saturday, winning the staying feature as part of the Troy Pascoe yard.
Well-travelled, having started his career in Queensland where he recorded success in the Listed ATC Trophy (1400m) at the Gold Coast as part of the Mitchell Fry stable before a stint in Victoria, Flash Aah returned to Queensland where he has improved in each of his five starts for the Toowoomba based Pascoe.
Third last start over 1800m behind Felix The Scat (Mendelssohn), jockey Ronnie Stewart was able to turn the results around, defeating that winner with the step up in trip.
From barrier four, Stewart settled the gelding in a mid-field position with the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Akrotiri (NZ) (Tarzino) taking up the running with leading fancy Osmose (Fr) (Zoffany) getting a lovely run in second position.
With race favourite Diablo Bolt (Hellbent) third last in the field, just behind Flash Aah and Felix The Scat, it always looked as if he was going to find it hard to make up the ground needed to play a role in the finish.
Coming from back in the field, the Tony Gollan trained Felix The Scat was the first to make a move, rounding the field to hit the lead after straightening.
Making up ground down the outside was the Ciaron Maher trained Raf Attack (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) and to his outside Flash Aah was starting to assert his authority, charging home to reel in Felix The Scat by a narrow margin, recording his first black type victory.
Pascoe had felt that Flash Aah had an undeniable chance pre-race,with the gelding having improved each start coupled with the rise in distance.
"He's been terribly unlucky. Every start they've just walked and made it impossible for him to run home,” said Pascoe.
"I never lost faith in him. I kept saying that this was the race I wanted to get him in. I absolutely thought he could win it.
"I was blown away at the price. Couldn't believe it.
"My staff have done an amazing job. As a ten-year-old (now), he ran third in this race fourn years ago and to come back as a nine, rising ten-year-old, they should take a bow.
1000 days since last win: "I wasn't counting them. I knew that every day was closer to his next win."
Like Pascoe, jockey Ronnie Stewart was confident that the gelding would acquit himself in the race.
"His run the other day was really promising. I think this prep he's really had a great prep going into a race like this.
"Fortunately today with the draw, where I thought was a good spot, I was following Diablo Bolt and in all fairness to Robbie (Dolan) he got held up around the corner.
"It really unfolded nicely for us. Had plenty of room and just kept building in his gears. I thought I was going to get there comfortably but he had a look around but he got the job done.
"It was a really good training performance. The horse had time off, there is a story behind it and it is nice to get on him.
"I surprised he was the price he was but he got rolled the other day and the way the race was run, but I thought he was definitely a chance from a good draw and we just needed the right run."
Bred by Mr D. Silver, Flash Aah is the lone stakes winner for the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) winner Lucas Cranach (Mamool), who had also finished third in the 2011 Group 1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Flash Aah is one of two winners out of the Hotel Grand mare Never Despair, herself from the family of the ill-fated Champion 3YO Filly Unworldly (Quest of Farm), a winner of the Group 1 Flight Stakes.
