3 minute read

A simple but well-laid battle plan to ping the outside gate and cross paid handsome dividends for Whistling Win on Friday night.

Posted out in barrier No 12, the Golden Archer four-year-old played the script out to a tee after springing the quickest out the machines to go and secure the lead rather cosily.

With half the battle won, all jockey Benny Woodworth had to do from thereon in was to control the tempo to a nicety, waiting until the point of the turn to test his mount to the fullest.

The answer was right on cue. The $43 pop shot clear by two lengths with no signs of letting up as he attacked the line with plenty of resolve.

The swoopers were descending thick and fast, though, but the Leticia Dragon-trained gelding was the one calling the shots on Friday night.

Favourite Nationality (Olivier Placais) gave a late scare, but could only finish within half-a-length of the winner. Standby starter Cousteau (Azhar Ismail) also flew home but could only earn third place another three parts of a length away.

The winning time was 1min 5.41secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.

“I looked at the speedmap, and I told Benny to take advantage of his gate speed and ride him positive from the wide gate,” said Dragon.

“Once he did that, I was only hoping he would be able to hang on in the straight.

“He was a precocious two-year-old last year and always showed he had some ability.

“He’ll be back next year. I’ll take a look at the calendar and see what’s available for him.

“It’s great to get a winner tonight as we’ve had a few seconds lately.”

At his first sit on Whistling Win, Woodworth said he was just the pilot executing a very simple plan – jump and run.

“He’s a straightforward jump-and-run horse,” said the Malaysian rider who was notching his first win since his career-highlight win aboard Elite Invincible in the Dester Singapore Gold Cup on November 11.

“He had a light weight (52kgs) and once I pressed the button, he got power!”

Raced by Tan Kay Chuan, Whistling Win has now taken his stats to a handy record of four wins and two seconds from 15 starts for prizemoney around the $170,000 mark.