WILSCOT finally delivered on his promise in landing the feature sprint on Wodonga Gold Cup Day for premier trainer Brian Cox.
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The five-year-old grey gelding started a $3.50 favourite and held off a determined challenge from stablemate Bringenbrong ($6) to win by a length with Wagga visitor Mr Sommerville ($31) a neck away third.
Jockey Jake Duffy trailed the leaders to the corner in a muddling run affair before hitting the front at the top of the straight.
"Hopefully the drought is well and truly over. I thought that was a race he could win."
- BRIAN COX
It was the second winner on the day for the Cox stable, which had broken a frustrating run of 14 seconds without a winner in the previous race when New Zealand-bred Eightmates saluted at his first run in Australia.
“Hopefully the drought is well and truly over,” Cox said after the race.
“I thought that was a race he could win.
“This horse has plenty of ability, I thought he was better than Smoken Cash, who is going to go around in the cup but he has just proved frustrating.
“He was in a perfect spot in the greys race during the Melbourne Cup carnival but the jockey said he just didn’t go an inch down the straight, wouldn’t try.
“But he got a nice run today and finally delivered.”
It was Wilscot’s second win in 12 starts, with both being at his hometrack.
The Dash for Cash gelding now has two wins and a second from four starts at Wodonga.
Bendigo trained Party Rocker was the opening favourite but drifted in the market and was beaten just under 1½ lengths in fourth.
Cox said he was also happy with the effort of the runner-up Bringenbrong who was resuming from a long spell.
“That’s his first run in nine months and he loomed up to win, but the weight difference, having to give Wilscot seven kilograms, proved too much,” he said.
“I don’t know what to do next with both of them: do you take these horses to Melbourne for one of those restricted races at a Moonee Valley night meeting,” he said.
“We’ll see how they pull up and decide then.”