There are few more honest horses in training than the pride of Port Macquarie, Victorem, who put his 13 opponents to the sword in Saturday's Listed Hinkler Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
The Jenny Graham-trained gelding did not disgrace himself when tried at Group 1 level for the first time in the Kingsford Smith Cup at his previous start and when he failed to make the field for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, Graham elected to make the Hinker a consolation.
With Ben Looker in the saddle, Victorem came with a barnstorming finish to defeat Whypeeo by one and a quarter lengths to credit I Am Invincible with the quinella. Split Lip (Your Song) was a half-length back in third. (image Racing Queensland)
"We were unfortunate not to get a start in the Stradbroke, but I'm on the top of the world right now," Graham said.
"I said to Benny (Looker) you ride him how he feels and he summed it up perfectly, getting back and saving that finishing burst."
"The long term goal is the Kosciuszko, but he's only just into his prep so I might try to find another nice race up here for him before we head home."
Winner of the $500,000 Country Championships Final at Randwick and the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben, Victorem advanced his record to 7 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $925,500.
Victorem was bought by his trainer for $65,000 at the Magic Millions 2YO's in Training Sale in 2016 from the draft of Symphony Lodge.
He is the first winner for Playful Miss, a Sydney metro winner by Foreplay from the family of Group I winner Ball Park.
Playful Miss has a yearling filly by Denman and a weanling filly by Territories (IRE). She was covered by I Am Invincible again last spring.
