By RUSSELL BENNETT
MOURINHO, the horse with “a bit of tiger in him”, stormed to victory in Sunday’s $200,000 TAB Cranbourne Cup, and is now being set for a crack at the Mackinnon Stakes.
Tony McEvoy’s six-year-old bay out of Germany, Le Roi – ridden by Damien Oliver out of Barrier 9, shortened big-time into the $1.80 favourite leading into the race and started well.
But Mourinho, the seven-year-old bay gelding out of the Moe-based Gelagotis Racing stable which finished third in last year’s race, essentially led from start to finish.
After leading by a length from the Ken Keys-trained First Course, Ciaron Maher’s Mr O’Ceirin and Le Roi across the back straight, Mourinho kicked at the turn. Oliver made his run but jockey Craig Newitt held on over the length of the home straight while Le Roi faded to finish third behind More Than Sacred.
“He’s got a lot of tiger in him, this horse,” Newitt told TVN after the race.
“He flew the gates today and got a nice run in the first three quarters of the race.
“He came out a bit on the straight but he was always going to hold them.”
Manny Gelagotis, the Gelagotis Racing stable manager, said pressure had come from expectation for his horse, which he said had clear-cut form leading into the race.
“As I said to the owners, if The Cleaner was in the race he would be in the red so really if the form was true, then the horse should have come out and done what he did.
“He was always going to be hard to run down. He’s a tough horse.”
Gelagotis was thrilled for jockey Newitt, who he said was under “a bit of pressure” from its last start.
“I thought he made a tactical error at Moonee Valley and I believe it cost the horse the race, but I’m just thrilled (with his performance in the Cup).”
Gelagotis said Mourinho had “a little test at weight for age” and passed it.
“So I think he deserves a shot at the Mackinnon Stakes and I think that’s where we’ll go.
“I’m really thrilled – I believe he was the best horse in the race today and I’m glad he won for the punters.”
Manny’s brother Peter, widely acknowledged as one of Gippsland’s best trainers, said he also felt the pressure to win Sunday’s big one with Mourinho.
“There’s a lot of pressure to win these races – you don’t get a big opportunity to do it,” he explained.
“I try my hardest and wear my heart on my sleeve and I have some really good people behind me.
“Credit to Craig, who’s stuck with him. The horse is just flying.
“I don’t know what more there is to say – I’m just rapt.”
In the other feature race of the day immediately following the Cup, the $100,000 Apache Cat Classic, the superstar combination of trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen did it again with Angels Beach coming away with the win over ex-Hong Kong galloper Straight Gold.
