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Fourth time lucky for Button in Capricornia Classic

8 April 2020

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Photo credit: Caught in the Act Photography CQ

By Tony McMahon

Tom Button’s mantra of ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ rang true yesterday after Miss Lot Won scored a dominant win in the $75,000 Capricornia Yearling Sale 2YO Classic at Callaghan Park.

Button had previously supplied three placegetters in (The Bank Manager, Rubie Georgie and Gypsy Toff) Rockhampton’s richest juvenile race, so he was elated to get the money off his back yesterday.

In the absence of her regular rider Justin Stanley, Rockhampton jockey Mark Barnham, who concentrates on the country circuit these days, rose to the occasion on Miss Lot Won.

Barnham didn’t panic when the $6 chance maintained a deep course from the wide barrier, instead cuddling her before she let down with an explosive sprint in the home straight of the 1200 metre race.

From there she extended her stride to win by four lengths from Poetic Final Say, a nose in front of third-place getter and surprise favourite Queen Of Style.

“It was a great day, I’ve been trying to win this race over the last three years and it’s good to get one,” Button said.

“She was the best horse in the field but I was a bit worried by her bad barrier but in the end however she was a bit too classy.”

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Miss Lot Won bagged about $55,000 for her win and will now in all probability spell before being aimed at the newly devised $75,000 Capricornia Yearling Sale 3YO Guineas over 1200 metres next summer.

The 2YO Classic result was another magnificent achievement by Neville Stewart’s Oaklands Stud in the Darling Downs, with Miss Lot Won (sold for $17,000 at last year’s Rocky Sale) becoming the stud’s third success in the race from the last four years.

On top of that, Oaklands produced Button’s previous three CYS 2YO Classic placegetters while the stud’s 2018 winner in Wicked Ways won in Hong Kong last week.

In a fitting triumph to the stud, which will offer eight yearlings at the online Capricornia Yearling Sale commencing today, Oaklands produced four of the first five past the post in the Classic.

Earlier, local champ Marway and jockey Brad Pengelly defied a leviathan weight of 61.5kg and a slow start away from the gates to claim the $50,000 3&4YO Classic over 1300m.

Overlooked by buyers at the 2017 Rockhampton Sale when he failed to reach a moderate reserve, Marway was retained by his breeders and their racing partners the Wagner family.

Not only has Marway gone on to be become the reigning Rockhampton Jockey Club Horse of the Year, but under trainer John O’Sing’s tutorship the four-year-old has won $216,175 in stakes.

Earlier yesterday, there were smiles all round when the team of jockey Natalie Summers and trainer Darryl Johnston won the opening race with $61 outsider Tala Rikisa.

Racing heads back to Callaghan Park next Tuesday where the meeting planned for Mackay has been reconvened to allow for minor track renovations.