News

De Fine Lago snaps three and a half year drought

29th Jun 2013

Racing Network - Adrian Dunn - Saturday, 29 June 2013

De Fine Lago snapped a three and a half year drought with his narrow win in an eventful Dominant Handicap today at Moonee Valley.

After emerging from a suspensory injury followed by a colic attack, De Fine Lago, well ridden by Jack Hill, delivered on all the promise he displayed as a younger horse.

Trainer Tony Vasil noted that De Fine Lago ran second in the Hobart Cup and third in the Brisbane Cup.

Vasil said he may consider taking De Fine Lago now to next month’s Grafton Cup, a race he’d previously discounted because it was on the agenda for Mr O’Ceirin.

But, Mr O’Ceirin, the $1.60 favourite, was the first horse beaten as he compounded to finish sixth behind De Fine Lago.

“That was pretty unexpected. I was pretty much resigned to the fact that the favourite was a good thing,” Vasil said.

“I thought we would finish in the placings, but the favourite pulled extraordinarily hard and was the first horse beaten.

“Initially, I had planned to take this horse to the Grafton Cup then I heard that Ciaron Maher was talking Mr O’Ceirin there, I thought ‘well, I won’t go there now.

“Now, I’ll have to reconsider it.”

De Fine Lago, $9.50, finished strongly to edge out Upbeat, $18, by a nose with a half neck to Oregon Spirit, $8, third.

But, a protest by Oregon’s Spirit’s rider Luke Nolen against Upbeat, ridden by Nick Hall, alleging interference over final 200 metres was upheld.

De Fine Lago (Delago Brom x Fine Glass) was a $32,500 purchase by Aquanita Racing from the draft of Bombora Downs at the 2007 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale