Stawell trainers Terry and Karina O’Sullivan have turned the corner with Majestic Duke winning the David Bourke Provincial Plate at Flemington last Saturday.
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The promising four-year-old gelding jumped well from barrier one and was never in doubt as he steadied two lengths clear.
With jockey Dean Yendall aboard, Majestic Duke was required to kick again at the 300-metre mark to maintain his lead and was able to do so with ease.
Mejestic Duke fought off late challenges from second-placed Baron Archer and Rock ‘n’ Gold who finished third.
“He galloped really well and never looked like losing,” O’Sullivan said.
O’Sullivan was pleased with the horse’s performance and has put the turn-around in form down to Majestic Duke’s maturity.
“He has come a long way in a short time,” he said.
“He needed to find some maturity and now that he has done that, he looks to be a really nice horse.
“He has a world of wind behind him and once he gets to the front he doesn't like losing.”
Results have shown that Majestic Duke runs better when fresh and with that he has been sent to the paddock this week to freshen up.
Majestic Duke will return to the stables with plenty of work to do before his next start.
“He runs well after he has been rested so we will just give him a week or so,” O’Sullivan said.
“He pulled up well from Flemington so there was no hassles. We just want to give him the rest he deserves before we bring him back in.”
In his last eight starts Majestic Duke has won on six occasions and O’Sullivan will be hoping to win again when he returns to Flemington on July 18.
O’Sullivan is unsure which jockey he will call upon for Majestic Duke’s next start with Yendall, Steve Arnold and Chelsea Hall all in the mix.
Majestic Duke is likely to be given top weight for the race which is where the three-kilogram claim of Hall would come in handy.
Hall needs one more country winner before she can ride in the city, but with two wins from two rides on Majestic Duke, her master O’Sullivan will give her every chance.
The win came at a good time for the stables after it lost Golden Oldies to a tendon injury earlier last week.
Golden Oldies will be out of action for at least 12 months after winning his last two starts including a benchmark 78. O’Sullivan was devastated by the injury to Golden Oldies and described it as a big blow for the stables.
