Gutsy trier Let’s Galahvant gets his Group win in Strickland Stakes

[Pelican Press 0]

Gutsy trier Let’s Galahvant gets his Group win in Strickland Stakes

Consistent five-year-old Let’s Galahvant finally broke through for a deserved maiden Group success in Saturday’s $200,000 Group 3 Swan Draught Strickland Stakes (2000m) at Belmont.

After chasing the shadows of Magnificent Andy and Western Empire in all four runs this preparation, punters were decided the latter would emerge on top again and sent out Western Empire a hot $1.40 TABtouch favourite.

Magnificent Andy quickly lobbed into fourth place in the early stages of the feature, while Western Empire was forced back to last of the eight despite a pre-race plan from co-trainer Grant Williams for the Iffraaj gelding to sit closer.

Customary pacemaker Marocchino ($6.50) took them along at a comfortable gallop before Casino Seventeen ($21) made a dash three-wide at the 700m.

Western Empire and jockey William Pike covered the move and pocketed Let’s Galahvant, who was held up approaching the turn.

Let’s Galahvant’s rider Chris Parnham was then obligated to wait until a run underneath Western Empire appeared with less than 300m to travel.

With 200m left, Western Empire poked his nose in front as Let’s Galahvant began to build momentum, though it was not until the 100m when Let’s Galahvant hit top stride.

Let’s Galahvant surged over the concluding stages and thrust past Western Empire to win by a neck, with Ginger Baker beaten a length in third.

The win brought up a treble for training brothers Dan and Ben Pearce after the earlier successes of Oly’s Choice and Climb On Top in races three and four.

Let’s Galahvant wins the 2024 Strickland Stakes for jockey Chris Parnham Credit: Simon Merritt/Simon Merritt / Western Racepix

“He’s just been sensational, a $10 000 purchase and he hasn’t let us down every prep. He comes in and he produces,” Ben Pearce said.

“He had to come out at weight-for-age level and prove himself, which he did last start and then again at this distance, but he’s just so tough.

“He’s been a horse that has had some respiratory issues and we’ve always said he’s a horse that does better in work when he’s maintained.

“He goes to the paddock and he’s not getting that same treatment, so we keep him in the stables and tick him over and he loves it.”

Pearce said that Let’s Galahvant was a potential representative for the stable in the Eastern States to join their sprinting dynamo Acromantula.

If he doesn’t head east, Pearce said Let’s Galahvant would target the $1.5 million Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 23.

“The last two years we’ve tried to get a run and he hasn’t quite got one, so that’s what we’ll weigh up in the next couple of weeks,” Pearce said.

Though William Pike stretched his lead in the jockey’s premiership with a treble, Chris Parnham walked away with the rich honours.

“He just keeps raising the bar and he’s a pleasure to ride,” Parnham said.

“We weren’t going overly hard and then when Jarrad (Noske) went with a bit of a tactical move, it put us in a position that wasn’t great.

“The horse did the rest, really.”

Trainer Michael Grantham’s team continued their run of terrific form, with Grantham training Antique Miss to a runaway win in race five and Celebrity Prince to edge home in the last.

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