Racing: Sunline's future secure with trainer

Trevor McKee is more determined than ever to hold on to Sunline. MIKE DILLON reports on her historic Doncaster win.

Sell Sunline? You've got to be kidding, says Trevor McKee.

Immediately after the mare's history-making A$2.5 million ($3 million) Doncaster Handicap win at Randwick on Saturday, McKee knew he would not sell her.



Witnessing the almost unbelievable reception the huge crowd gave Sunline as she returned to the weigh-in, McKee knew he owned something money could not buy.

"The crowd reaction was fantastic," he said.

"When we walked back up the chute they were roaring and cheering - whether they had backed her or not, they were singing our praises."

Sunline has earned $12 million for her co-owners, including McKee, who has rejected offers for the champion mare.

"They all want to continue racing her, but so do we. We will never sell her to race on. If we sell her, it will be when her racing career is finally over."

In light of how Sunline coped with her 58kg victory in the Doncaster, she will be racing for some time.

When McKee walked into Sunline's box yesterday morning, he knew there were more multimillion- dollar campaigns left in his champion mare.

Despite a gruelling race, Sunline's feed bin was empty and the mare, according to her trainer, looked a million dollars.

"She has come through it fantastically well - better, I would say, than some of those who finished behind her.

"She has always had remarkable powers of recovery, but she's better after this than some of her other races."

Sunline was so bright and fit yesterday that she looks likely to be a starter for the All Aged Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Beyond that, a spell is likely, with a fourth attempt at the Cox Plate later this year a possibility.

Jockey Glen Boss provided the greatest accolade for Sunline after Saturday's race.

"I've just ridden the greatest race of my life and we've been beaten," said Boss after Shogun Lodge's remarkable finishing sprint had been repelled by Sunline by a nose.

"We were going to win then we didn't."

But Boss did not know that immediately.

He was so certain he had added the Doncaster to the A$1 million ($1.2 million) Galaxy he won an hour or so earlier that he continued to wave his arm high in a victory salute even after Shogun Lodge pulled up near the 1600m barrier.

"I know I made a goose of myself, but I was sure I had won."

Boss gave McKee a huge fright when he punched the air and stood high in the saddle a stride past the winning post.

McKee, standing almost in line with the finish, was certain Sunline had held on.

"Then, when I saw Boss go up, I thought, 'Oh, shit, maybe he's on a better angle than me'."

The fact that it was Shogun Lodge that Sunline held out underlined the courage of the winner's performance.

Shogun Lodge is one of Australia's finest and has the fastest 100m finishing sprint of any horse in this part of the world.

And Boss could not have ridden him better.

Often Shogun Lodge's brilliant late dash has been dimmed by working into the clear too early.

This time, Boss held him up brilliantly and if any horse was going to get past Sunline in the final 50m it was Shogun Lodge. But he couldn't, despite looking certain to gun the mare down with 50m to run.

"Two strides past the post she was starting to pull away again," said McKee.

"That's something she's done in a lot of her races."

Jim Cassidy, on class filly Ha Ha, clearly had ideas of making Sunline work hard in front but his mount could not find the speed to get close to Sunline's girth. As far out as 1000m, Cassidy was niggling at her to stay in touch.

Sunline's jockey, Greg Childs, admitted after the win that he did not want the moment to end.

"I don't want to get off her," he said in the unsaddling enclosure.

There was a huge late punt on Sunline.

Her price on Friday was $4 and she opened on track at $3.90.

By start time she was at $2.90, which would have taken a lot of money in what was a huge betting pool.

Said McKee: "One guy I saw had A$80,000 [$97,000] on her to win $A200,000 [$242,000]."