Our Boy Malachi storms home in Vic debut
Quality sprinter Our Boy Malachi has stormed home to win the Group Two Caulfield Sprint in the eight-year-old’s first start in Melbourne.
The gelding, who began his career in Queensland, before joining the Hawkes Racing team in 2014, notched the 19th win of his career when he came from last in Saturday’s 1000m sprint in his second start of his spring campaign.
“He’s a winner. It’s as simple as that,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said.
“You can’t do much more than he’s done.
“There’s a bit of improvement left in him (this preparation). We’ll find something for him at Flemington over Cup week.”
Our Boy Malachi ($4.20) defeated Faatinah by 1-1/2 lengths while Lankan Rupee came in third with jockey Craig Newitt full of praise for the gelding.
“He was a bit stiff,” Newitt said.
“I just got held up behind a tiring one at the top of the straight and it just allowed the winner to get the run on him. With 61 kilos it just took him a little while to pick up. But he was super.”
Pre-race favourite Hellbent was scratched earlier in the day after he suffered some swelling in his off-hind cannon when he got his leg over a partition in the tie-up stalls.
Trainer Darren Weir still managed to bookend the program with Jennifer Lynn taking out the opening race while Voodoo Lad was a convincing 1-1/2 length winner of the Group Three Moonga Stakes.