Two weeks after the sad news of the passing of Champion mare Makybe Diva, the well-known Tony Santic silks were worn to success by the Phillip Stokes trained Big Wigs (Gold Standard) in the $1m The TBV VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield.
Having finished second in his only previous two starts, his last start effort behind Godolphin’s Medicinal (Brazen Beau) has since proven a strong form reference with the winner coming out last Saturday and taking out the G3 Ottawa Stakes.
Starting on the second line of betting, jockey Lachlan Neindorf settled Big Wigs towards the tail of the field after jumping from the outside barrier in the field of 12.
With Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s I Am Immortal filly Lagunanini going to the lead from the inside barrier, the last start maiden winner kicked on the home turn and looked as if she would be hard to run down.
With leaders not really holding on when put under pressure, the runs were starting to come from back in the field with Neindorf coming the widest of all runners into the straight.
As the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained, last start G2 Resiling Stakes third placed Miss Chanel hitting the lead at the 200m mark, Big Wigs let rip down the outside, joining the leader with 100m to run before the pair battled to the line.
Getting his head out in front to win by a half-head margin, Big Wigs took his overall record to one win and two second placed efforts from three starts with Makybe Racing & Breeding-bred colt taking his earnings to $608,900.
Tommy Stokes was on course to talk about Big Wigs victory in the race they have targeted a long way out.
“He's the most quiet, honest colt to be around in the stable. He's a stable favourite and it's credit to the staff, they have done an incredible job."
“It's a massive thrill. It means a lot to have these colours aboard. Mr Santic is here on course today and he's brought a whole heap of owners with him.
“What a thrill. It's a massive prize money race. It's a race we targeted for a fairly long time. He's been to Adelaide, he's come back, we thought he'd be winning at Ballarat but he ran into a smart one, but he's been able to hold himself nicely here and Lachie summed it up perfectly.
“It was where Lachie wanted to be pre-race. He was confident to be there and have one last crack at them. He was spot on and the horse was very tough.”
Jockey Lachlan Neindorf was a little emotional winning the racing in those special coloured silks.
“It's super,” said Neindorf. “It almost makes me a little bit emotional, really. It's been such a big couple weeks for these colours, obviously, with the passing of the great mare.
“It's just a privilege whenever you put colours like these on and to go out there and get the job done in a nice two-year-old makes it that extra special.
“He was a little bit keen at Ballarat in behind them and when I brought him to the outside he really went down through his gears. I was aware of that today.
“I think we were all a bit worried when the barrier draw came out, but it was a blessing in disguise in the end because we had all the three main dangers drawn inside of us.
“I wasn't sure where they were going to be but I was confident that I would end up on the back of one of them and I was confident that my horse had a good turn of foot and the extra rise in distance was going to suit him that little bit more.
“To be honest, I probably still let him go a little bit earlier. I probably could have straightened up and held onto him for an extra 50 metres before putting him through his gears because, jeez, he got there fast.”
A half-sister to the G2 placed Cavity Bay (Cable Bay), who also finished fourth in the G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks, Big Wigs is the second winner from three to the races out of the Denman mare Nooks And Crannies from a family littered with numerous international G1 winners.
Nooks And Crannies has a yearling a filly by Lucky Vega (IRE) and after missing to Benbatl (GB) last season, was covered by King’s Gambit in the Spring.
Although not a black type race, Big Wigs looks to be an up and comer for Widden Stud’s Gold Standard, whose leading performer is the G1 winner Sheza Belter.
