THE long-awaited clash between Admiral and The Cleaner, two of Tasmania’s turf icons, in last night’s $100,000 Conquering Stakes (1400m) turned into a one-act affair as Admiral delivered another stellar performance to emerge triumphant.
The first shock came when The Cleaner didn’t lead, a role that was left to an inexperienced, lightly-raced six-year-old mare One Shot Off that started at $101.
The Cleaner settled second but when rider Noel Callow asked for an effort nearing the home turn the tank was already empty.
One Shot Off had set a reasonable tempo and at one stage was four lengths clear but she was collared nearing the home turn.
Admiral’s rider Brendon McCoull opted to take the shortest way home and aimed his charge at a rails run while others jostled their way into clear racing room out wide.
But when McCoull called on Admiral for the big effort he quickly put the end result beyond doubt and went on to score by almost a length from Geegees Goldengirl and Player One who both worked home well from back in the field.
The Barry Campbell-trained four-year-old has returned to racing better than ever and while he was feeling the pinch close to home his trainer is confident the horse is on target to tackle all the weight-for-age races that remain on the Tasmanian calendar.
“I am rapt with his effort tonight but that is what I expected might happen,” Campbell said.
“We will now aim him at all the weight-for-age races because he is weighted out of running in handicaps.”
“The horse was our best two and three-year-old and it’s always at the back of your mind whether they can come back at four and keep improving but I’m confident now that this horse is very special,” he said.
The Cleaner’s trainer Mick Burles was disappointed with his horse’s performance but was at a loss to explain his effort.
“He had the virus that we were quite sure had come and gone because his blood work that I had done this week came back spot-on,” Burles said.
“But there is clearly something not right because Noel (Callow) said when he gave him a squeeze to extend 500m out he had nothing to give and that is definitely not the horse we all know so I’ll have to have him checked out and we’ll have those results in a couple of days,” he said.
The eye-catching runs came from major cups hopefuls Geegees Goldengirl and Player One and they are both now likely to go to the weight-for-age Tasmania Stakes (1600m) in Launceston in a fortnight before heading to the Brighton Cup over 2100m in Hobart on January 8.