A magnificent ride by apprentice jockey Zac Wadick has helped the Glen Milligan-trained That’s Molly to a thrilling victory in the 2023 Sawtell Cup (1515m) at Coffs Harbour on Sunday.
The Taree mare didn’t show much speed from gate five and travelled in the back half of the field, giving the leaders up to ten lengths as the Brett Dodson-trained Gobbled (Peter Graham) ran the field along at a good clip.
Turning for home, Wadick had a wall of horses in front of him, and That’s Molly ($5) was all but galloping on the heels of those in front of her as the pair sweated on the run.
With 250 metres to go, Wadick found a gap, and the four-year-old showed off a good turn of foot and flashed strongly to win by a head from the David Matts-trained Mikado (Aaron Bullock, $7.50) while three-quarters of a length away in third was the Brett Bellamy-trained Baglioni (Country Bellamy, $5.50).
In a tense finish, Wadick was happy to land the win, admitting that the race didn’t go according to plan.
“I was having a heart attack at about the 250m, and I thought, if she gets beat, it’s probably my error,” Wadick told Sky Racing’s Melinda Turner in his post-race interview.
“She just had bad luck, and for her to come again and win like that when the gap appeared, it goes to show how good she is going.”
The Dissident mare was a ‘good thing beaten’ at Newcastle the start prior, and Wadick explained that That’s Molly could finish off a race very strongly.
“She is really diverse, I think; she’s won from third-the-fence to all the way out the back,” Wadick said.
“With her run at Newcastle, she was in a similar spot and dashed home really well, so I think when she is ridden that way, if the speeds on, she can really dash home.”
Wadick was the difference between That’s Molly winning and losing on Sunday, with the two-kilogram claiming apprentice calm and patient as he waited for the gap to open.
“A lot of credit goes to him, he’s really listening, and a lot of people have been given me good feedback and commented what a well-spoken kid he is,” Winning trainer Glen Milligan told Sky Racing’s Gary Kliese after the win.
“He does his homework, has a good manager, and everything is working for him.”
Regarding their win in the Sawtell Cup, Milligan agreed with Wadick that a lot went wrong, but he was pleased with the efforts of his up-and-coming mare.
Zac was confident he could win on her, but I just didn’t expect her quite to get so far back, but to be honest, I think she lets down better when she does really settle, gets a long way back, and hits the line hard,” Milligan said.
Molly is a pocket rocket that has started 17 times for five wins, earning Milligan just shy of $100,000.
Despite the Sawtell Cup win guaranteeing his mare a run in next month’s $150,000 Coffs Harbour Cup, he confirmed he will bypass the race for a chance to set her for the 2024 Country Championships.
“She is only 15.2 (hands), if that, she’s a pleasure to do anything with and was a $7000 buy as a maidener, so she’s been good to us,” Milligan said.
“She is going to the paddock now; I know the Coffs (Harbour) Cup is coming up, but the (Country) Championships are in February, too, and she is a Class Five (horse) and still eligible.
“Her run was outstanding; this is her ninth run this time in, so she’s done a good job.”
On an entertaining day at Coffs Harbour, Toowoomba trainer Mitch Faulkner won the Trevor Hardy Sprint (1215m), with Nathan Evans guiding Kosciusko ($5) to a gritty win.
In a good battle to the line, Kosciusko held off the Brett Bellamy-trained Boncassie (Raymond Spokes, $4.60) by a length, while in third and five lengths back was the Kris Lees-trained Ventura Ocean (Andrew Gibbons, $7).
Coffs Harbour was a happy hunting ground for Faulkner and Evans, who only brought two horses to the races, while they won earlier on the program with West Cork ($8) taking out the 1415m Maiden Plate.
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