Scone trainer Rod Northam is no stranger to success in the $104,900 Inglis Scone 2YO Challenge and claimed the lucrative juvenile feature for the fourth time in six years at Scone on Friday with promising
I Am Invincible gelding - Sargent Doakes.
An easy winner at his first two starts at Scone last December,
Sargent Doakes was spelled with this race in mind and the plan came to fruition with a good ride from Robert Thompson.
Tuned up with a recent run at Muswellbrook in which his saddle slipped and he finished sixth,
Sargent Doakes was right at his best today powering home from back in the field to win the 1200 metre contest by a length.
The gelding drew barrier one and jumped as second favourite. Despite easing into the race, jockey Robert Thompson was confident he had enough power to finish strongly.
“I know he’s only a little bloke but he’s got a pretty big heart,” said Jockey Robert Thompson.
Thompson added. “He was just a little bit slow out, he’s
not a real fast horse early but I got to mid-field and I was happy there
but coming to the home corner I had to steady a little bit and wait,
until I got to the outside and then half way up the straight I was able
to get him out into the middle of the track and he really knuckled
down."
Trainer Rod Northam said, “I target this race every year, and I was confident he could do the job, and he did just that,”
”We wanted to get to the outside and an opportunity came and he was able to, and he finished off really strongly,”
"He’s only a little horse, but he has a big stride and takes a while to wind up,” said Northam.
"The owner raced his full brother Bulletproof Monk, who ran third in this race last year, so decided to buy the brother and has gone one better.”
“After today he’s probably looking for 1200m, so we’ll probably look for a two-year-old race in Sydney over that distance,” said Northam.
“He’s better on a dry track so we’ll watch the weather and decide where to go from here.”
Sargent Doakes was purchased from the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale for $40,000 and has won three of four starts earning $104,525 for his lucky group of owners.
Sargent Doakes is the last foal of good producing Rory’s Jester mare Momoco, who was retired from stud duties in 2013. She had 11 foals to race for 10 winners.
It’s the second year in a row the Inglis Scone Challenge has been won by an
I AM INVINCIBLE, with the Rod Northam trained gelding Voodoo Lad successful last year.
Sargent Doakes is one of
13 two year-old winners this season for I Am Invincible, who is second to only
Snitzel on the leading Australian two year-old sires list by winners.
