Recording his second black type victory from his last four starts, Glen Thompson’s Whisky On The Hill recorded the biggest win of his career to date, taking out the $300,000 Group 3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
With So You Are going forward from barrier 11 to take up the running, the Chris Waller trained race favourite Birdman (IRE) settled at the tail of the field with James McDonald in the saddle.
Travelling along comfortably in fifth position, Daman Lane was giving Whisky On The Hill a lovely run in transit, ensuring he would run out a strong 2600m on the extremely wet track conditions.
When leader So You Are kicked up a gear at the 600m mark, most of the runners behind him were found wanting a little, but Lane urgedWhisky On The Hill to the outside of those ahead of him and he was starting to look a chance.
Hitting the lead at the 300m mark, Whisky On The Hill had to fight hard as Waller’s Etna Rosso (IRE) pulled off his back and looked a serious contender.
Showing remarkable fight once headed, Whisky On The Hill proceeded to pull clear, winning the race by a length with a further length back to Japanese galloper Golden Snap who improved off his 14th placed finish in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup.
“Very satisfying to get this result,” said Thomson. “He hasn’t had a lot go his way all prep.
“He’s been racing really well, and I was very concerned when the rain came.
“It means a lot for the owners. They’ve been really good supporters. They stuck by me when everything went awry a few months ago and it is very pleasing to get the result for them.”
“He’s a horse we’ve always had a big opinion of. He was very unlucky in the Bendigo Cup last year and just missed out on getting into the Melbourne Cup last year.
“It was unfortunate that he had to miss the autumn this year. He had niggly issued and that put us on the backfoot for this spring, but this puts him in good stead going forward.”
Ploughing through the heavy nine track conditions, Damian Lane really earned his winner’s payment.
“It was a slog to the line,” said Lane. “I don’t think I’ve ridden a horse going so slowly over the last 100 metres and been able to win. It was a testing 2600 metres, so he really enjoyed it.”
“He had always handled wet until his last start and we thought he might not have enjoyed that at Geelong. We were hoping, more than expecting, coming into today.”
“I want to say well done to Glen. He’s done a great job with this horse. He deserves a good result and has been a bit stiff this preparation. To get a good result with him is very rewarding.
“We weren’t sure off this last run, and we weren’t sure whether he’d handle the ground that day. We ended up with the right run at the right time, and he presented when it mattered.
“He showed good tenacity and had a string to his bow with the ground and I’m sure he had aspirations to get into the Melbourne Cup this year so hopefully he can get into it next year.”
Taking his record to seven wins and four placed efforts and $532,651 in earnings, Whisky On The Hill was originally sold at the 2021 Arqana August Yearling Sale where he was purchased by Avenue Bloodstock for EUR € 50,000, before he was later offered at the 2023 Tattersalls July Sale where he was secured by Armando Duarte, Paul Moroney and Ballymore Stables for GNS 135,000.
Bred by the Ninja Lady Partnership, Whisky On The Hill is the fourth winner and first stakes winner from five to the races out of the Nayef half-sister to stakes performers Oklahoma City and Cosmic Princess.
Becoming the 12th stakes winner for Iffraaj’s European Champion Miler at 3YO & 4YO in Ribchester, the four-time Group 1 winner has shuttled to New Zealand’s Haunui Farm since 2020 where his best southern hemisphere-bred performers to date are the Group 3 winners Red Card and Krakarib.
