Racing: It's been a while between drinks but Phelan Ready notches a win

Trainer Jason McLachlan gets a special thrill from Phelan Ready making people eat their words. Photo / Thinkstock

Trainer Jason McLachlan looked skyward with a big smile when Phelan Ready scored a rare win at Doomben.

Although he has won only four races, Phelan Ready lays claim to two of the biggest: the 2009 Magic Millions and Golden Slipper.

McLachlan trained him for those races in partnership with his father, Bruce, who died just a couple of months after the Slipper. Jason felt every barb when Phelan Ready went five years without another win.

However, he never lost faith in the gelding who won in August and made it two wins from his past three starts in an open sprint at Doomben on Saturday.

"It really should be three wins because jockey Craig Newitt told us he was a certainty in a race on Melbourne Cup day but he got a foot abscess and we had to scratch him," McLachlan said.

"We got him home and sent him to the beach for three weeks and he has thrived on it."

McLachlan gets a special thrill from Phelan Ready making people eat their words.

"Dad really loved this horse and now Mum is the major owner. It will be a great Christmas for the family now," McLachlan said.

Phelan Ready will get a chance to write another chapter in his unusual story in the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on January 10.

"He got beaten a lip in it last year," McLachlan said.

"He might be 8 now but I reckon he is going better than ever and he does like the Gold Coast."

A win in the Magic Millions Cup will lift Phelan Ready past the A$4 million prize money mark.

"Not bad for a horse everyone wanted to bag. I'm sure Dad would be having a good laugh at them now," McLachlan said.

- AAP