BTC Cup 2016: Emotional jockey Glen Colless dedicates Group 1 victory to his late personal trainer

TAB BIG BETS: IT was the moment that made the Ice Man thaw as veteran jockey Glen Colless dedicated Malaguerra’s BTC Cup victory to his late personal trainer.

Close call: Malaguerra edges out Dothraki in the Group 1 BTC Cup at Doomben on Saturday. Picture: Jono Searle

IT was the moment that made the Ice Man thaw.

Glen Colless is known as Mr Cool, but the 48-year-old let the guard down on his usually poker- faced exterior in the minutes after he guided Malaguerra to a thrilling win in Saturday’s Group 1 BTC Cup at Doomben.

In a ride that delivered the first Group 1 success for the training partnership of Lee and Anthony Freedman, Colless fought back tears as he spoke about the loss of his close friend Tony Gould in February.

“I don’t get real emotional. Winners are winners. That’s our job,” Colless said. “But this meant a lot more to me. If it wasn’t for (Gould) I wouldn’t have got back to riding. He was my personal trainer and punched me every day to help get me back to the fitness I needed.

Jockey Glenn Colless reflects on the passing of his personal trainer and dedicates his BTC Cup victory to his old friend. Picture: Jono Searle

“He lost his life in February and it’s been pretty tough. I’ve got a new PT now and I’m back into it, but I think about (Gould) a lot. This was for him.”

Colless was as surprised as anyone when he fielded a call from Lee Freedman last Sunday to partner Malaguerra, who had long been tipped for Winter Carnival glory.

“I was driving home from the Sunshine Coast after riding a couple of slow ones last Sunday and got a bit of a shock to field a call from Lee asking me if I wanted to ride one for him in a Group 1,” Colless said. “I was pretty chuffed about it.”

Colless described Malaguerra as “a tough little fellow” after Dothraki looked certain to overhaul him when he cruised up at the 200m point.

Malaguerra fights off the challenge of Dothraki (right) to win the $500,000 Group 1 BTC Cup. Picture: Jono Searle

Blake Shinn was blunt in his assessment of Dothraki’s tenacity in the run to the line.

“I’m sad to say he just lacks a little bit of commitment,’’ Shinn said.

“We got to the front by a head or so but then he thought the job was done.

“Everything went to plan but it was pretty frustrating for me as a jockey that he just didn’t have that will to win at the end.”

Japonisme ($3) was the best-backed runner in the race and ran on solidly enough at the end of 1200m to grab third, just in front of Two Blue, who gave a huge sight at big odds.

“I couldn’t have been more proud. She has been running against the girls but stepped up to this and jumped from the outside and did not let anyone down,” Two Blue’s jockey Paul King said.

There was drama right on the line as Michael Cahill took a nasty tumble from Artlee when Delectation shifted in onto him.

Stewards adjourned an inquiry, where they interviewed Jason Collett (Delectation), King (Two Blue), Shinn and Colless to allow Cahill to hear the evidence.

Cahill suffered concussion and was stood down from riding Cylinder Beach in the Rough Habit Plate before being taken to hospital for observation last night.

Jockey Glenn Colless acknowledges his victory aboard Victorian visitor Malaguerra. Picture: Jono Searle

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Malaguerra had his share of admirers but wasn’t the most popular in betting.

With $6 on offer late on Friday, he continued to drift on raceday due to the popularity of Japonisme and Dothraki. As a result, Malaguerra ended up jumping as a $10 chance.

After reeling in the leader Two Blue ($26-$51), he just held on to beat Dothraki, which was a significant firmer from $12 into $4.40. Two Blue held third.

The best backed runner of the race was Japonisme, which was smashed from $3.60 into $3.10, while Fell Swoop drifted badly from $4.60 out to $6.

BETS: Japonisme $$5000 @ $3.80, $4000 @ $4

That will do: Jockey Glen Colless celebrates as Malaguera hangs on to win the feature event at Doomben. Picture: AAP

Originally published as BTC Cup 2016: Emotional jockey Glen Colless dedicates Group 1 victory to his late personal trainer