Cylinder snatches victory from Ouroboros in Vain Stakes photo finish
The judge found a margin in favour of $1.50 favourite Cylinder in the Vain Stakes to the relief of punters.
Horse Racing
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Premier jockey Blake Shinn was in the same position as punters as his mount Cylinder crossed the line in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m).
Cylinder and Ouroboros were locked together as they passed the post in the $200,000 race with most punters hoping the Godolphin colt gained a narrow verdict.
Shinn and Ouroboros’s jockey Craig Newitt looked across at each other just after the line, wondering which colt had prevailed, nervously awaiting the photo as were those that anchored Cylinder in quaddies and multis.
Thankfully for those punters, Shinn and the Godolphin team, the photo revealed Cylinder had prevailed by the slenderest of margins.
Another exciting finish! ð¤¯
— 7HorseRacing ð (@7horseracing) August 19, 2023
Cylinder wins the Vain by a pimple! @godolphin@blake_shinnpic.twitter.com/q6QKfO5GYo
“I wasn’t sure we got there but, I tell you what, his class really shone through,” Shinn said.
The Vain Stakes was Cylinder’s first start since an unplaced effort in Sydney in April.
Shinn said the break between runs left the Golden Slipper runner-up “a little bit ring rusty” for his first-up test.
However, he said Cylinder responded to pressure in the manner of a high-class racehorse.
“Full credit to the second horse. He made a real race of it,” Shinn said.
“They put it to us in the early stages and prior to the turn.
“My horse was out of his comfort zone early and when the chips were down, he was off the bridle.”
The Vain Stakes usually serves as a guide to races such as the Caulfield Guineas in the spring.
Shinn said Cylinder would improve from his Vain Stakes success as he steps up to tougher company in the spring.
“He was second in a Golden Slipper and he’s got the credentials to target the best three-year-olds around,” Shinn said.
“This isn’t his main target but it certainly looks good on his CV being a three-year-old colt.
“He’ll measure up in whatever James and the team aim him up at but this is a great stepping stone today.”
Originally published as Cylinder snatches victory from Ouroboros in Vain Stakes photo finish