In-form stayer Anemoi lived up to his favourite tag in Saturday’s $25,000 Bendigo Ford Marong Cup (2200m).
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The six-year-old was well-backed into a $2.40 favourite for the race and he didn’t let punters down.
Guided by a perfect rde from jockey Billy Egan, Anemoi wore down second favourite Wee Gilly to win by just under a length.
The first two spaced the rest of the field, with hurdler Mr One Eleven filling third place five lengths away.
The Marong Cup win continued a stunning recent run of form for Geelong trainer Danielle Loos.
She’s won five races in her last eight starters, including two wins for Anemoi.
Saturday’s win lifted Anemoi’s career prizemoney total past the $110,000 mark.
While Anemoi won the feature race at the Bendigo Jockey Club, the most popular win of the day was Welcome Stryker in the Wild Plumbing Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m).
Trained at Bendigo by Danny Curran, Welcome Stryker saluted in the same race 12 months earlier.
With Marong Racing Club life member Len Rodda among the owners of Welcome Stryker, the six-year-old’s impressive win was fitting.
While it was Welcome Stryker’s first win in 12 months, the gelding had been in good form with three placings at city tracks in his previous four starts.
“He kept running places in town and all the horses around him were winning races, but he kept finding a way to get beaten,’’ Curran said.
“(The win) is more a relief than anything. I was tempted to run him in the Marong Cup when I saw the standard of the Cup, but I’m gad that I didn’t.
“It was good to see him win another race.”
Curran said Welcome Stryker’s best suited at 1600m and with space between his races.
“He’s won at 2400m and run well at 2000m plus, but three of his four career wins have been at a mile,’’ Curran said.
“It takes him a little while to recover from races, so I like to give him three weeks between races. His only por run this campaign was when I backed him up after 12 days.”
Curran bought Welcome Stryker the same day he purchased ill-fated speed machine The Big Dance.
“I bought Welcome Stryker for $10,000 and $750 for The Big Dance,’’ Curran said.
“The Big Dance won close to $200,000 in a short period of time, while Welcome Stryker has won more than $130,000. You can’t sneeze at either of them.
“Welcome Stryker is probably not the horse I was hoping he would be, but he’s been a handy horse for us. One day he’ll win a race in town when the luck goes his way.”
Meanwhile, fellow Bendigo trainer Andrew Sawden produced Drysdale Spirit to win the final event at double-figure odds.
It was Drysdale Spirit’s fourth win from 36 career starts.
Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths had a day out at Bendigo, winning three of the first four races.
Related: Marong Cup faces in the crowd
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