There were no shortage of obstacles thrown in his path but it was a rapt Blake Fitzpatrick who emerged from the fray to claim a trophy he’d long coveted, the $350,000 Group 1 Australian Pacing Gold Final for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Steering favourite Tasty Delight for trainer Brian Portelli, Fitzpatrick braved Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown restrictions to make the trip to Tabcorp Park Melton and then transformed his prized gate one draw into a brilliant front-running victory.
“I’m over the moon,” the New South Welshman told Trots Vision. “It’s the race that I’ve tried to win for a number of years and fallen short on a number of occasions.
“The Australian Pacing Gold has got a lot of prestige, the money’s outstanding – it’s just the race that future champions come through and to be a part of it is great.”
And he was a big part from start to finish, silencing those who doubted he could hold the front with a blistering early burst that kept Act Now and Soho Bollinger to his outside.
After a 27-second first quarter he was able to grab a breather in the second quarter (29.5 seconds), before sneaking away entering the final bend.
That grabbed the edge he needed to hold off a valiant Act Now late, with another New South Wales entrant, Captain Crusader for Rickie Alchin, running into third.
“It was a great thrill,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve got a really high opinion of him and he’s a horse I really think will just keep improving with age. He was a really good juvenile and he’s come back a much stronger three-year-old.
“He’s a really strong horse, he does have speed also, but I think he will go better over a longer trip. I think he will just keep improving and be a future Grand Circuit horse.”
Owned by Charlie Cordina and bred by Croon Bloodstock, who pared their mare Gentle Audrey with stallion Bettors Delight, Tasty Delight’s win tonight was his second Group 1 for Portelli, following on from his two-year-old Breeders Challenge triumph.
“(Brian’s) an outstanding trainer,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s never had the opportunity with these better bred horses and don’t underestimate him for one minute, he’s an outstanding trainer.”
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