By Bren O'Brien
Tasmanian trainer Stephen Lockhart has turned a $3300 online purchase into a Listed winner in the space of nine months, with Shady Hustle (Hussonet {USA}) securing an upset win in the Listed Brooklyn Park Tasmanian Oaks.
Shady Hustle was a $30,000 yearling purchase in Adelaide for Brian and Daniel Guy but after showing little at two trials she was offered through Bloodstockauction.com in June last year.
A total of 22 bids for the filly were received with Lockhart, who is based at Brighton on the outskirts of Hobart, securing her to race with friends.
She made her debut in November, running third at Hobart before putting together a trio of wins including the Tasmanian 1000 Guineas at Launceston last month and finishing fourth in the Listed Strutt S in Hobart.
She was given little chance of turning the tables on a similar bunch of fillies but ridden by late replacement Bulent Muhcu, who came in for the injured Ryan Bishop, she proved the superior stayer to score by 1.25l, defeating Our Long Sali (Needs Further) and the Strutt S. winner Rock Dove (Epaulette) in third.
"I have ridden her in work every day and I was really keen for the ride," Muhcu said. "Ryan had told me that she got lost in the straight in the Strutt. I was very confident when I worked her last Friday,"
"Ryan had done a great job with her winning the races, and it was rude to take him off her when he was doing such a good job, but I was here when he got hurt."
"I am so thrilled to win this race." - Jockey Bulent Muhcu
"I am so thrilled to win this race. I was just beaten on Hot Dipped (Written Tycoon) and I was devastated for a few days. It's just a great feeling."
It was the biggest win of Lockhart's career and he was full of praise for Muhcu after the ride.
"He's been confident since it’s last run. It was a beautiful ride by him and I can’t thank him enough for what he has done with the horse," he said.
"It hasn’t sunk in yet but later on it will. I'm very happy."
Jockey Bulent Muhcu
Earlier, Deroche (Needs Further) proved far too classy for her rivals in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic for the Hobart Cup winning combination of owner Star Thoroughbreds and trainer Barry Campbell.
Beaten narrowly in the Listed Gold Sovereign S. last start, Deroche won by 2.25l, in a race where two horses fell and Bishop was taken to hospital.
Campbell said he felt Deroche's pedigree suggested she would be a much better horse as a 3-year-old.
"She's bred to get over a bit of ground and she's bred to get better with age. She's by Needs Further out of an Elvstroem mare, you wouldn't expect her to be flying at two, but she is at the moment," he said.
She was a $61,000 buy at last year's Tasmanian Magic Millions Sale and her half sister by Trust In A Gust is Lot 8 at Monday's sale.,
Deroche as a yearling
Mandela Effect (Turffontein) won the Magic Millions 3YO Classic, completing a feature double for jockey Jason Maskiell, who also rode Deroche.
The one-time $18,000 purchase for trainer Scott Brunton has now won seven of 13 starts and nearly $200,000 in prizemoney.
