Champion jockey Craig Williams broke a 24-year drought when the Chris Waller-trained Pancho ($6.50) took out this year’s $150,000 bet365 Kilmore Cup (1600m) at bet365 Park Kilmore last Sunday.
It was a second Kilmore Cup for Williams. He won his first as an apprentice in 1996 aboard the Wodonga-trained Northern Poet.
Pancho, a four-year-old Dissident gelding, beat $3.20 favourite Tavidance by three-quarters of a length with Black Sail ($21) a half-head away third.
The win was Williams’s only ride for the day.
Tavidance was the hard-luck story of the cup. Following a slow getaway from barrier nine, Damien Oliver snagged the favourite back to last, eventually gaining a rails run but too late to catch Pancho.
“Craig (Williams) comes to these meetings when he has good rides and he was keen to ride this horse today,” said Waller stable rep Cameron Cooke. “He gave it a peach in the run and got the result.”
Louis Mihalyka’s Laurel Oak Bloodstock bought Pancho as a yearling for $165,000 at the 2018 Easter sale, naming him after Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.
The cup win was the gelding’s fourth victory, taking his prizemoney to $546,200.
Only one favourite, Party In Style ($3.40) in the Kingsgate Village 3YO Maiden Plate (1100m), was successful on Sunday’s eight-race program.
Laughs just in time
Kyneton trainer Mick Sell looks to have a smart galloper on his hands after Lovin’ Laughs ($6.50) made it two wins from as many starts in taking out the $35,000 Ladbrokes BM64 Handicap (1014m) at Moe last Thursday.
The four-year-old Foreplay gelding swooped from the rear of the field to beat Black Opal ($12) by a half-head.
“We were a little bit nervous for a while but once he got clear he got home like a train,” Sell said.
“The horse has been in and out and in and out with shin soreness … probably next prep will be a better prep,” he said.
Owned by the Miles family, Lovin’ Laughs has earned $31,900 from his two wins, with the in-form Jack Hill aboard both times.
Brown’s boy lands bets
In the following race at Moe, well supported Seymour gelding Yenhaab ($5-$3.50 favourite) appreciated a class drop from the Flemington carnival, scoring an impressive win in the $35,000 Moe Racing Club Garden Bar BM64 Handicap (2082m).
Trained by Stephen Brown and ridden by Ben Allen, the imported 10-year-old Cape Cross gelding defeated Sky Hero ($4.80) by 1¼ lengths.
Yenhaab has now won six races with six minor placings from his 41 starts.
Bolek barrier to box
Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer saddled up Bolek ($3.50 favourite) for an all-the-way win at Tatura last Saturday.
The six-year-old Swift Alliance gelding comfortably won the Kevin Hicks Real Estate 0-58 Handicap over 1450 metres.
Ridden by Jarrod Lorensini, the gelding defeated Madam Etak ($12) by a length.
Bolek has now won four races with five minor placings from his 25 starts.