Maintaining his unbeaten first up record, Harry Angel 4yo Watchme Win started the race favourite and never let his supporters down, pulling clear to win the Listed SAJC W H Wylie Handicap (1100m) at Morphettville, his second black type victory.
One of two runners in the field resuming for the Andrew Gluyas yard, the other being Group 1 VRC Derby winner Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah), both will likely be aimed at further spring races as they progress deeper into their campaigns.
With Super Alana (NZ) (Belardo) going forward after getting away best from the barriers, the 6yo mare led with the Michael Hickmott trained Fancify (NZ) (Niagara) sitting in second with last year’s winner Press Down (Press Statement) also going forward along the rail to sit in third.
Race favourite Watchme Win was in fifth where he was getting a good run under Jason Holder, albeit slightly wide, but with cover.
As Fancify made her challenge before the home turn was reached with jockey Todd Pannell taking the 6yo mare to the front, Holder aboard Watchme Win was tracking their every movement.
At the 200m mark, Watchme Win had pulled himself alongside Fancify with the pair battling to the line, where the Harry Agnel gelding held a three-quarter of a length winning margin.
Rattling home into third was Richard and Chantelle Jolly’s stakes performer Smart Missile mare Aviatress.
The victory takes Watchme Win’s record to six wins and three placed efforts from 13 starts with earnings of $329,550.
With a possible Melbourne campaign on the cards, the gelding has previously won at Group 3 level in the Autumn before being beaten just under three lengths in the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap in May, finishing not that far off Group 1 winners Giga Kick and Climbing Star, as well as beating home Group 1 winner Charm Stone.
“I’m pretty pleased with that, he’s come up well, we saw this as a bit of a starting point for him, entering the spring, he left last prep off a good run at Caulfield,” said Gluyas.
“We thought he’d run a strong 1100m first-up and that’s worked out well.
“It was a lovely ride, he just dwelt a bit at the gates I thought, then he mustered and got into a beautiful position, we were hoping to be within four lengths striking distance of the pace and he did that well.
“He travelled beautifully around the corner, Jason said if he’s travelling around the corner he’ll be very close to winning and I think that’s what happened.
“Credit to our team. Stubby (Holder), Taylor Johnstone and Mollie Knowles, they ride this horse in the morning, he’s a bit arrogant, he’s got a few tricks and things like that, and everyone’s managed him quite well.
“We’ll sit down around the table and think about which way we go with him, horses get to these standards, and they run in good races each time now so it’s exciting for everybody and connections – hopefully we pull the right rein.”
Consigned through the Noorilim Park draft at the Inglis Premier yearling sale as agent for Mill Park, Watchme Win was knocked down to his trainer for $160,000.
One of two winners from two to the track for the winning Sepoy mare Watchmespin, Watchme Win is the older half-brother to Bjorn Baker’s three-time winner Point And Shoot (Blue Point).
From the extended family of Group 1-winning Mill Park graduates Run Fox Run (Foxwedge) and Serious Speed (Royal Academy), Watchmespin has a 3yo gelding by Churchill (IRE) named Reign Capital in the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable who made his debut recently followed by a pair of fillies by Harry Angel and Street Boss.
Bred by Harry Perks, as is the fellow Mill Park yearling sale graduate Angel Capital (Harry Angel) who may line up in this coming Saturday’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Watchme Win is one of 20 stakes winners led by Group 1 winners Tom Kitten, War Machine and the Everest bound Private Harry for Darley’s Word Champion Sprinter Harry Angel.
Standing at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $66,000 (inc. GST) this season, Watchme Win was the second leg of a stakes double for Harry Angel on Saturday after the earlier victory of Arkansaw Kid in the Group 2 VRC Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington.
