Tony Vasil returns with first-up win
Tony Vasil completed a fairytale comeback to training with the victory of General Truce at Flemington.
Adding to the fairytale was the first Group One victory of Under The Louvre, in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm, a horse Vasil trained before taking a sabbatical.
General Truce was Vasil’s first runner since March 2014 after which he stepped away from training suffering depression.
A chance meeting on the Gold Coast two weeks ago led to Vasil taking over General Truce and his long-priced victory in the Jezabeel Handicap on Saturday.
Ridden by Andrew Mallyon, General Truce ($18) scored by 1-1/4 lengths from Bullpit ($4) with Alberto Magic ($10) a nose away third.
“I was up at the Gold Coast weanling sales a couple of weeks ago, looking at horses and ran ran into James O’Brien,” Vasil said.
“He asked what I was doing and I just said I was poking around looking at horses and stuff like that.
“He asked if I would be interested in training an old sprinter and I thought it would give me something to do.
“I probably timed my run a bit late coming into the middle of winter, but it’s turned out to be a bit of a fairytale.”
Vasil said he had no big plans of having a large team but may revisit the idea in six-months time.
“I could click my fingers tomorrow and I could have 30 horses if I wanted, but I don’t want it,” Vasil said.
“I just want to put my big toe in the water and fiddle around with a couple.
“I’m a bit rusty but I’ve still got it, I think.”
Vasil’s supporters didn’t forget to back the gelding, which officially firmed from $31 to $18.
However Vasil and a few others were able to secure longer odds.
“I went went down to Brighton for breakfast this morning,” he said.
“I went into the TAB and he was $81.
“I was happy with how he felt underneath me last Saturday morning and again on Tuesday and I didn’t think he was an $81 chance.”