Mr Mozart wins Phar Lap Stakes in emphatic fashion
In what was just a seven-horse field, Mr Mozart proved too good for his rivals, denying Chris Waller a sixth consecutive Phar Lap Stakes win.
Ridden by William Pike, the three-year-old colt was sent out as a $10 chance with online bookmakers for the 1500m event.
The son of Snitzel has taken their prizemoney to over $430,000 after the brilliant win in the Group 2 event.
In recent years, Waller has won this race with Winx, Foxplay, Unforgotten, Verry Elleegant, Funstar and Hungry Heart, so Mr Mozart has joined an elite list of horses to reign supreme in the Phar Lap Stakes, but it was the Hawkes stable who reigned supreme today.
What a run by Mr Mozart in the Phar Lap Stakes! 😮
Pike onboard the @HawkesRacing Colt 🐎 pic.twitter.com/T38AcIKN4s
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 12, 2022
“To be fair, his runs in Melbourne have probably been a touch disappointing,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.
“In saying that, he has raced well here in the past. We just thought 1500, back to his own age, a bit of give (in the track), he went great.
“It’s a team effort. It’s good to see this colt back in a bit of form. He has raced well here in the past and that was the plan, for Willie just to take his time to get to the front.
“I thought they were going to roll along a little bit more than what they did and then when he kept rolling and got to the front, I thought, wow.”
Race favourite Fangirl offered little in the straight, running fourth.
That jockey’s rider Tommy Berry said that the “sit and sprint didn’t suit her”.