Outside of the top four just once in his previous 12 starts, 3yo Wootton Bassett (GB) gelding Wise Inlaw was rewarded for his consistency, winning the $175,000 Listed VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Third in the Listed Exford Plate earlier in his career behind G1-winning juvenile Vinrock, the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained 3yo had the services of Luke Cartwright with the pair jumping away from the inside barrier in the 14-horse field.
With favourite Chains Of Love away slowly from the gates, the field split into two as the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained baldly faced Prince Tycoon took up the lead of the inside group with Wise Inlaw racing closer to the fence just off the leader.
Not much really changed until the 300m mark when the inside group started to fan ever so slightly which saw Wise Inlaw start to make his run, while Chains Of Love had pulled off his heels to head closer to the inside rail to make her challenge.
As the Mr K S Chung and Mr M W Chung raced Wise Inlaw collared Prince Tycoon and took the lead, the 3yo gelding charged away from the field and looked as if he would score by a widening margin, only to see the runner-up come once again where just a half-length margin separated the pair on the line.
Racing in her third different state from her last three runs after efforts in Queensland and NSW, the Scone trained blue blood Chains Of Love finished a gallant third.
“We always thought he was a 1400-1600-metre horse, but eight or 10 weeks ago, we made the decision he couldn’t (run) 1400 metres, so we brought him back to the straight. He was very impressive here three runs back,” Moody said.
“He probably just found the front a little bit early last start, and I reminded Luke of that this time.”
Having won the race last year with Bridal Waltz who then went on to run in the Listed Bletchingly Stakes, connections will probably not follow suit this year.
“He’s probably ready for a little break, but we’ll let him guide the path.”
The win took Wise Inlaw’s record to three wins and four placed efforts from 14 starts with earnings of $324,815.
The first stakes winner out of the G3 VRC Frances Tressady Stakes and G3 MRC Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes-winning Snitzel mare Sylvia’s Mother, Wise Inlaw was a $300,000 Magic Millions yearling sale purchase by Mitchell Bloodstock from the draft of Berkeley Park Stud.
Sylvia’s Mother’s current 2yo is the Brett and Georgie Cavanough trained Dr Hook, a last start second behind Cormier, with that winner going on to finish second at his next start in the G1 BRC JJ Atkins Stakes.
The mare’s yearling filly by Home Affairs was withdrawn from this year’s Inglis Classic yearling sale while she foaled a colt by Darley’s Champion Anamoe in the spring before being covered by Coolmore’s first season sire Storm Boy.
The second stakes winner of the meeting for Coolmore ill-fatted Wootton Bassett, joining the Hawkes Racing trained Marwooba who won the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Final (1600m) (read about him here), Wise Inlaw became the 90th individual stakes winner for his sire and sixth this season in Australia.
