A BLOSSOMING association between multiple Group 1-winning jockey Michael Walker and Sutton Grange trainer Brent Stanley continues to reap strong dividends.
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The pair, who combined to win the 2018 Bendigo Cup with long-shot Red Alto, were at their best again on Saturday at Caulfield, striking success with the promising five-year-old Critical Thinking.
It was another gutsy effort from the front-running son of dual W.S. Cox Plate winner So You Think, who was narrowly headed in the straight by the John Sadler-trained Simply Invincible, before fending off his rival to win his fifth race from 17 starts.
Walker, who has 21 Group 1 wins to his name, heaped praise on both horse and trainer after Critical Thinking successfully dropped back to his pet 1400m distance from a rough 2000m race three weeks ago.
“It was good for the (Stanley) camp to get him back to 1400 (metres),” Walker said.
“When I rode him over ground, I said to Brent ‘he doesn’t stay’.
“1400m is as far as he wants to go, he can dominate on-pace and quicken.
“Hat off to the horse as well, he likes being headed. The other horse had me, but I switched the whip to the left hand and he found another gear and was running away on the line.”
Critical Thinking’s victory was the perfect gift for his trainer, who celebrated his birthday the previous day.
Stanley and Walker were a touch unlucky not have made it two wins for the weekend together, with the four-year-old mare As It Lies relegated into second place in the opening heat of the DraftKings.com Sprint Series (1000m) at Moonee Valley.
Meanwhile, a pair of Bendigo jockeys was among the winners on a busy weekend of racing across Victoria.
John Keating combined with Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer to score a win at Saturday’s Hanging Rock meeting with Noosafy, while Courtney Pace emerged with a win apiece from the weekend’s two picnic meetings, including Sunday’s Yea Cup with Fold, who is trained by her father Arthur.
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