The well-travelled Oughton (More Than Ready) added Saturday’s $200,000 Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) to his previous success in the Listed Tattersall's Recognition Stakes, off the back of a tendon injury which put an end to his stint in Hong Kong.
Having started his career in Australia with success at Caulfield under the Hawkes Racing banner, the son of Vinery Stud’s More Than Ready was subsequently sold to Hong Kong connections where he was renamed A Pal (HK).
Winning twice in Hong Kong from just eight starts before a tendon injury saw him head back to Australia, the gelding was then purchased by Les and Melissa Kelly who have seen the 6yo flourish winning four times for the stable – twice at stakes level!
Off the back of his fast-finishing third in the Group 2 Moreton Cup last time up, the Ciaron Maher trained Warnie (IRE) (Highland Reel) jumped away the short priced favourite, with only three other runners in the 14-horse field starting under double figure odds in the betting.
Tony Gollan’s Rockribbed (Night Of Thunder) assumed his usual leading position where he was maintaining a solid tempo, with race favourite getting a lovely run tracking him on the rail.
As the baldy faced Rockribbed led the field into the home straight, Warnie just needed an out, but unfortunately luck didn’t present itself as the Jeff Dunn-trained Sha Of Gomer (Shalaa) charged to the lead and looked the winner.
Coming off the rail from back in the field and following Sha Of Gomer, the Melissa Kelly-trained Oughton produced a tremendous sprint under Robbie Dolan, pouncing on the leader to record success and earn his second black type victory for connections.
Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss worked home well for third with the Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans trained 6yo recording her third black type placing.
Trainer Melissa Kelly was hoping Oughton’s outstanding record at the distance would aid him in the Eye Liner.
"He won here last year over 1350 (metres) so this was his fifth go at it and he's won four now. We thought stepping up that he'd go really well,” said Kelly.
"He always had ability and we thought at Warwick we'd give him that confidence booster and then on Derby Day, just got beaten for second over 1200-metres and then came back here and won.
"He gets a little bit cocky. He knows when he's run and when he's run a good race.
"He was a little bit soft because he was a month between runs and just knocked up. We knew he was going in a lot fitter."
Like Kelly, Dolan was keen to see the horse over the distance of Saturday’s race, knowing that he had performed so well over it in the past.
"Good win. I had a bit of faith in this horse. I said after his last start that he'd run in this race and be a good chance.
"That means a lot to these trainers. That's their Melbourne Cup.
"That was a good win. He's had a lot of problems over the years, horse. He came back from Hong Kong and it didn't go to plan in the race. I ended up down the rail but I could see Warnie down in front of me and I had my eyes set on him.
"To be honest, once I got to the outside, albeit he wanted to lay in, he found the line very good.
"My horse lays in a lot so Ipswich suits him because it is such a tight turning track. A horse that lays in, he goes with the track. My horse, if he missed the kick, I was going to drop and find the fence and ride for a bit of luck.
"Thankfully that happened."
One of 233 international stakes winners of the former Vinery Stud shuttler More Than Ready (USA), Oughton was purchased for $900,000 from the Magic Millions yearling sale draft of Lime Country by Spendthrift Australia Pty Ltd.
One of four winners from seven to race out of the General Nediym mare La Fluorescent, a half-sister to Group 2 MVRC Vase winner and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes third Savvy Nature as well as the Group 3 ATC Ming Dynasty Hcp winner Addictive Nature, the Makybe-bred Oughton is a half-sister to Snitzel mare Moldova, dam of the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Captured By Love (Written Tycoon).
La Fluorescent has a yearling colt by Spirt Of Boom that was passed in as part of the draft of Eureka Stud at this year’s Magic Millions yearling sale, followed by another colt by the very same sire, and is due to foal in the spring to him once again.
