VOW TURNS BACK THE CLOCK

Vow And Declare claimed victory in his second Tattersalls Cup, holding off stablemate Young Werther to win the Group 3 event at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Danny O’Brien trained gelding had been consistent without winning in a spaced-out campaign this time in, which started with a narrow miss to Campionessa in the G2 Peter Young Stakes.

He was good to the line behind Fawkner Park last start in the Q22, but still started an $8 chance for Saturday’s 2400 metre contest, with Young Werther far more fancied at $4.

There were chances galore as the field turned for home, but the 2019 Melbourne Cup winner always looked a big chance late, steadily making ground and hitting the lead 150 metres from home.

Young Werther tried to mount a final challenge, while Knight’s Choice ($4.40) launched late, but Vow And Declare held tough under vigorous riding from Billy Egan, scoring by a head.

It was a very special win for the O’Brien stable, who prepared a then three-year-old Vow Andrew Declare to win the same race in 2019, albeit over 3000 metres.

“It’s hard not to get emotional,” O'Brien's General Manager Matt Harrington said. 

“To think of a horse that raced in this race five years ago, to find a horse anywhere that’s actually been in a Group race five years apart, let alone win it both times is just extraordinary.

“He just wants to be a racehorse; he just loves being around. He has outlasted a lot of the staff.

“Liz, who is strapping him now, came up to Queensland five years ago and actually stayed and we didn’t get her back. She returned to strap him today. Everyone loves him and it’s an amazing effort.”

Harrington said he feels for Young Werther and connections, who had to settle for another close-up placing, although from a personal standpoint, it was very satisfying for the Geelong-based trainer to see his two gallopers fight out the finish.

“I feel sorry for Young Werther. He’s run a placing a few times in big races,” Harrington said.

“He’s run enormous, it was like a trackwork gallop in the end, but it was awesome.”

Story by Darcy Cosgriff for Racing.com

Pic by Trackside Photography