Fallen jockey Dean Holland’s last winner Way Up High jumping in class at Flemington on Anzac Day
Dean Holland’s last winner will jump in class at Flemington a day after the first anniversary of the much-loved jockey’s passing.
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A little assistance from above might be required for Way Up High to post a second straight win at Anzac Day’s Flemington meeting.
Way Up High was jockey Dean Holland’s last winner before his tragic fall at Donald on April 24 last year.
The Dan O’Sullivan-trained mare will step up a few grades in class in Thursday’s William Newton VC Handicap (2500m).
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“It’s a timely reminder that we remember Dean at this time of the year and she’s just a good brave horse to do it with,” O’Sullivan said.
“We’re having a bit of a throw at the stumps.
“Jumping from a four-horse field to a Benchmark 78, that is a fair class rise.
TAB posted Way Up High as a $23 outsider in early betting on the $65,000 race but the mare was a last-start winner in a small field at Sandown earlier this month.
Craig Williams was aboard for that win over Australasian Oaks hopeful Into You and the champion jockey will stick with the five-year-old at Flemington.
“We were really happy to tick off the city win the other day so we’d like to get another one,” O’Sullivan said.
O’Sullivan said favourable weather would give Way Up High a chance to cope with the class jump.
“One thing we would like is a bit of rain, she’s pretty effective on wet tracks,” he said.
“It would be a big tick if she got some rain.
“She was a bit plain second-up for some reason so we gave her a nice gap in between waiting for a wet track.
“We didn’t want to race her too many times and have her flat when the wet tracks come up.
“But how long do you wait for wet tracks?
“I know Warrnambool is around the corner and we did think about going down there but this race has come up over 2500(m).”
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Way Up High will also stretch out to 2500m in the William Newton VC Handicap.
The Last Typhoon mare has won over 2400m and raced honestly over a shade further in her 17-start career.
“She was strong to the line at Sandown so we don’t think the 2500m will be any problem,” O’Sullivan said.
“She’s raced over that distance before, or 2400(m), and went pretty well.
“We’re going to have a crack.”
Originally published as Fallen jockey Dean Holland’s last winner Way Up High jumping in class at Flemington on Anzac Day
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