Eight-year-old Fake Smile produced a thunderous finish to capture the Evolve Stone Gordon Rothacker Memorial Championship Final tonight at Tabcorp Park Melton.
The Craig Demmler-trained gelding was lining up for just his third run back from a three-and-a-half-year injury layoff, but he was able to sprint past rising superstar Lumineer at the end of the 1720-metre Group 3 sprint in a slick 1:52.3.
“This horse has been an amazing story what he’s come back from. Craig deserves all the credit because it’s been a long road back and a lot of hard work,” winning driver Jackie Barker said.
“I think he’s done his tendon three times, so to get him back to the races is an enormous effort. Craig and the team have done an amazing job.”
Barker, who is making a bit of a habit of producing barnstorming-finish wins at HQ, bided her time from the back-row gate 11 draw tonight as others set a brisk tempo at the front.
Pick Up Line led from the pole but eventually handed up to Deedenuto after 600m and a lead time of 6.9secs followed by a 27.4 opening split, with Lumineer working around to the breeze for the last lap.
They kept moving with a 57secs middle half-mile and Fake Smile was on the move wide from the back.
With Barker throwing everything at Fake Smile the son of Grinfromeartoear (out of Fake Left mare Counterfeit Girl) pounced on his rivals in the straight for a 1.3m win over a brave Lumineer, who had to lose no admirers after his tough effort in defeat, with Pick Up Line third just ahead of Brackenreid, Smart Little Shard and Blingittothemax.
“When you draw the second row over the sprint it’s never going to be easy but this horse really flew home,” Barker said.
“If he can stay sound and keep going I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”
Barker said she was “grateful for the opportunity to drive Fake Smile”, adding “I think you have got to be 100 per cent dedicated if you want to try and make it. And I do want to make it, so I’m grateful for the opportunities and I’ll go anywhere to get them.”
Photos by Stuart McCormick
