Leon Davies was on the wrong side of a photo finish in the Coonamble Cup earlier this month but things were in his favour on Monday when Brilliant Poet scored a gutsy win in the $45,000 Coonabarabran Cup (1600m).
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Davies’ Brilliant Poet won the day’s feature race in a photo finish after he battled with Dubbo-trained Playing Game all the way down the home straight.
It appeared Playing Game had the win when he took the lead late on, but apprentice jockey Kaylee Kirkwood got Davies’ six-year-old lift to score a thrilling win.
“All I can say is Christ, he’s got a big heart,” Kirkwood told Sky Racing’s Thoroughbred Central after the win.
“The other horse had him and he’s just fighter. He’s a fantastic horse.”
The win was a sweet one for Tamworth-based Davies, having seen victory slip through his hands at Coonamble.
Brilliant Poet justified his $2.30 favouritism with the run, while Dar Lunn’s Playing Game ($3.70) was again gallant, having now finished in the minor placings in Cup races at Moree and Dubbo, while he also finished fourth in the Coonamble feature.
Having got out well from barrier five, Kirkwood got Brilliant Poet to settle in second behind Southern Order ($6.50) while Baites ($15) and Playing Game rounded out the leading group.
Those four jostled for the lead but by the time the field hit the bend on the track rated a Soft 7 it was a clear battle between the two favourites.
They traded the lead and were neck-and-neck but just when it seemed like Andrew Banks had got Playing Game in front, Kirkwood got Brilliant Poet to lunge down the inside and secure the win.
“Obviously it was a good ride from Kaylee and obviously the speed was on there,” Davies said.
“I think the older horse, Playing Game, might have died a little on his run right on the line but he (Brilliant Poet) got his head down at the right time so it was good.”
Davies added one of gelding’s six owners is currently ill in hospital and the win was dedicated to him.
It was open air behind the two frontrunners but the Jane Clement’-trained Southern Orders fought back well to take third from Baites, trained at Dubbo by Frank Hayes.
The win was the eighth of Brilliant Poet’s career and the biggest up to this point. It also took his prizemoney earnings well past the $100,000 mark.