KEY POINTS:
He may be a notch below the top tier of stayers now, but Matamata veteran Desert Flight still holds star status with rider Cameron Lammas.
The nine-year-old's brave front-running win in The Alls Well 2100 at Avondale on Saturday was the eighth success for the pair.
Lammas and
the Richard Coxon trained-Desert Flight combined for their first victory over 1400m atEllerslie in April, 2003.
"I've had more wins on this horse than any other," said Lammas, who also won aboard Are Vah for former boss Jim Gibbs on Saturday.
"At the 600m we were travelling at a nice clip and I hadn't spent a cent, really.
"When we quickened up I left them a little flat-footed for a little bit and I knew how hard he keeps trying."
Although rapt with the latest victory, Desert Flight's 14th from 73 starts, Coxon admits the success didn't quite go to script.
He had originally targeted the evergreen son of Desert Sun for a hat-trick of Thames Gold Cups on January 4.
"But he got a foot abscess and we had to back off, that's why he had to run last time over 1600m," said Coxon.
"I knew he'd be hard to beat today though; he's jumping out of his skin, the old fella.
"And Cameron Lammas just makes this horse; he rides him so well."
Coxon said Desert Flight will now follow a similar path to last year, appearing next in the SkyCity Hamilton Cup at Te Rapa on February 2, the race he won last year with Daniel Hain warming the saddle for Lammas.
There were no excuses for the chasers at Avondale.
Aukay, grinder Valley Chief, Carnegie Dancer and, finally, runner-up Ntamack, all ranged up like they would run by Desert Flight, but couldn't.
The biggest disappointment, however, was again hot favourite Charliehorse, who laboured into fourth place after having every chance to chase the leader down.
Matamata co-trainer Andrew Scott said the five-year-old would be tried in a hood next time in the hope he finally races up to the hype.
"He's been looking for them for a while now," said Scott.
"There were no excuses today; he was just going a bit too casually."
In the next race, Pukekohe trainer Craig Ritchie had one of those "if only I knew then what I know now" moments.
After watching his emerging sprinting star Magic Tryst scorch home in the Byerley Park 1200, Ritchie confessed to botching the mare's road to the Railway Handicap.
Magic Tryst, an impressive winner of her past two starts since New Year's Day, got stuck on the ballot for the Ellerslie group one sprint.
"I should have run in her in the Newmarket [a Boxing Day Railway qualifier]," said Ritchie.
"But I was worried about two things: backing up so soon and I thought the track would be a little off on the fence, which wouldn't suit her."
It turned out to be a bad call because the track wasn't off and she's a lot stronger now.
A Telegraph Handicap on Saturday at Trentham against Seachange and co was considered instead of the Avondale consolation prize.
But Ritchie believes his 4-year-old speed machine is more vulnerable left-handed, especially at group one level.
Ritchie will give Magic Tryst a breather after her fifth career win, and her second straight success for first-season apprentice star James McDonald.
He says the weight-for-age group three Darley Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 1 is a next-up option.