Who Dares has finally lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him winning a Stakes race at Flemington.
The Listed Straight Six (1200m) on Saturday fell the way of the heavily supported gelding, prepared at Mornington by Pat Carey and Harris Walker.
Sent out the $3.30 favourite under Patrick Moloney, Who Dares scored by a head from Nicolini Vito ($19) with Maharba ($13) a further 1-½ lengths away third.
Walker put Saturday’s victory down to maturity.
The gelding contested the Creswick Sprint Series for three-year-olds at the corresponding time last season, and while he ran well, he kept finding one, or two, better.
Moloney took Who Dares to the front on Saturday and kept him in a rhythm, holding off the late challenge.
“I think his improvement, it is all down to maturity and time,” Walker said.
“He was physically mature, but mentally he wasn’t, and he just needed time, and time, and time, and now we’re seeing the fruits of that.
“We love it and hopefully it keeps going.”
Who Dares may have benefitted from drawing the widest barrier (he came into gate 14 after five scratchings) but Walker added it was Moloney’s ride in keeping the gelding in a rhythm that shone out.
“Throughout the whole week we were hoping that would be the place to be and the way the track has played today, that definitely was,” Walker said.
“We had a plan with Paddy to keep him nice and calm, in a nice rhythm, and he did that.
“The difference was today, he was left alone. It’s a very long straight and the horses were coming, but he has a few extra gears that he just isn’t using yet.
“We have had to take a big step going to Listed grade, but we know the level he’s at, so it’s not a big step for us.
“In the ratings he’s down low, but we know he’s better than that, so we’re happy to go into races like this and it worked out well today.”
Who Dares’ victory was the first at Stakes level for Walker since joining Carey in a training partnership at the start of the season.
“It is a huge thrill, but I wouldn’t be here without Pat,” Harris said.
“It’s not a Stakes win for me, it’s a Stakes win for the team and without Pat I wouldn’t be here, but I am happy to be here.”