Dean Larsson, after his win on Gottino in the Seppelt Sallinger Great Western Cup completed a winning double on the day with Molly’s Grace (above) in the Sungold Milk Maiden Plate. Picture: PETER PICKERING
GREAT WESTERN - Gottino is the toast of Great Western after taking out the Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup on Saturday.
The Ken Moore-trained five year old was a narrow winner in the 1850 metre feature race, pipping Watto's Racer at the post by half a head.
Coming in third was race favourite, Darren Weir-trained Flying Omission who finished three and a half lengths behind Gottino.
Gottino's win on Australia Day was his second in a month after he claimed the Burrumbeet Cup on New Year's Day.
Trainer Moore was confident heading into the race, telling the Stawell Times-News Gottino was fit and healthy and had trained on well since Burrumbeet.
His only instruction to jockey Dean Larsson was 'for him to win.'
"I thought the horse was a bit far back at the start but was thrilled when he got home," the Ballarat-based trainer said.
According to Moore, Gottino's recent run of good form has been attributed to 'just the way he has been trained and looked after'.
Meanwhile Larsson followed up his Great Western Cup victory with a win onboard Robert Smerdon-trained Molly's Grace in the final race on the card, the 1850 metre Sungold Milk Maiden Plate.
Molly's Grace performed a dramatic turnaround in form, finishing ninth at Warrnambool three weeks prior to breaking her maiden on Saturday.
The mare won by half a length in front of Diarchy with punter's elect, Charles Quick-trained Existence finishing three quarters of a length off the pace in third spot.
