VOW ABOUT THAT

Vow And Declare finally proved what trainer Danny O’Brien believed in Saturday’s Group 2 Herald Sun Zipping Classic.

Vow And Declare hadn’t won a race in more than 1100 days since his triumph in the 2019 Melbourne Cup as little things continually went against the stayer.

But O’Brien thought he had Vow And Declare back in top shape at the start of the spring.

The gelding raced up to his trainer’s assessment without winning with strong efforts in the Bart Cummings and Caulfield Cup before an honest effort in wet ground in the Melbourne Cup.

However, dropping in class combined with a perfect John Allen ride got Vow And Declare over the line for a drought-breaking win in the $750,000 Zipping Classic.

“He’d had the better part of 18 months off leading up to this spring,” O’Brien said.

“He’s never been in better shape hence the reason he’s here on Zipping Classic day, he’s taken all his racing this spring really, really well.

“He’s performed as well today as he did earlier in the spring.”

Jockey Harry Coffey set a perfect speed for all runners on the early leader Persan, which gave Allen the opportunity to park Vow And Declare behind the leaders for the first 1600m.

Allen let Vow And Declare stride into contention from the 800m mark before the chestnut joined the leader on the home turn.

Vow And Declare ($5) outsprinted the $3.30 favourite Luncies to score by 1-½ lengths while Persan ($5.50) boxed on well to hold third, six lengths ahead of the fourth horse Dark Dream.

“He (Allen) couldn’t have ridden it any better,” O’Brien said.

“Persan set a good gallop which is what we wanted and he was always in control of the position he wanted to be in and early in the straight, he got going and stayed on and it was pretty painless.”

Allen’s Zipping Classic success was the Irish jockey’s second feature win in as many Saturdays after landing the $500,000 Ballarat Cup last week.

Allen said such wins were a welcome boost as he struggled to build momentum in the spring after a trip back to Ireland mid-year.

“I was a bit slow getting going coming back (from Ireland) but the last few weeks I have been getting good opportunities, lucky enough to win the Ballarat Cup and the Zipping Classic here today,” Allen said.

The Mike Moroney-trained Sound was ($8.50) never a chance of posting a third straight Zipping Classic win.

The 10-year-old settled in the second half of the field but didn’t accelerate in the last 600m, finishing fifth, more than eight lengths from the winner.

By Brad Waters for News Corp Racing 

Pic by Racing Photos