It was a United Nations Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley with the British-bred, Australian-owned Chief Ironside (GB), trained by French-born UK-based David Menuisier, playing his part with a hard-fought success in the $500,000 Group II Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m).
At his first start in Australia, the Australian Bloodstock import finished a troubled 13th in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on October 12.
With champion British-based jockey Jamie Spencer in the saddle, Chief Ironside (Lawman) scored by a short-head from the gallant Cliff's Edge (Canford Cliffs) with Best Of Days (Azamour) the same margin away third.
"We felt that he should've been in the frame, or won (at Caulfield)," Menuisier said.
"I was a little bit frustrated as the horse had done nothing wrong.
"It was just the circumstances so we thought 'let's roll the dice' and carry a bit more weight and put Jamie back on him, plus he's been training great since.
"We will look at the program and consider our options.
A son of the French Derby winner Lawman, Chief Ironside (GB) had three Group III placings to his credit in England but he was winning for the first time since a handicap at Newmarket in June last year.
He is one of two winners out of the stakes-placed Moment of Time (Rainbow Quest) a three-quarter sister to the Group 1 French Oaks runner-up Time Ahead (Spectrum) and a half-sister to the Group II York Musidora Stakes winner Time Away (Darshaan) the dam of Group II Saint-Cloud Prix de Malleret winner Time On (Sadler’s Wells) who in turn is the dam of the Group III Newmarket Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Mot Juste (Distorted Humor).
