Victorian sprinter Maharba draws perfectly in Saturday’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot

Jockey Jordan Childs is happy to put his faith in a reliable sprinter to give him a second Group 1 win in Saturday’s $1.5m Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.

Victorian jockey Jordan Childs got his wish in Tuesday’s barrier draw for Saturday’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes in Perth.

Childs will head west on Friday to ride Maharba for his long-time supporter Grahame Begg in the $1.5m event.

Childs wanted a barrier between five and nine for the reliable Maharba before the gelding drew barrier six, a much better draw than race favourite Overpass, who will jump from the outside barrier in the 16-horse field.

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The favourable barrier draw gave Begg and Childs a great opportunity to become the fourth Victorian-trained sprinter to win the Winterbottom Stakes in the last 15 years.

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Hey Doc was the last Victorian winner of the Winterbottom Stakes in 2019.

Childs said a good barrier would give him the chance to ride Maharba as the four-year-old prefers despite the early pressure of the Winterbottom Stakes.

“He’s nice to ride but you have to ride him in his comfort zone early,” Childs said.

“If you try to push too far forward, he doesn’t finish off as well.

“Wherever he is, as long as he’s travelling in his comfort zone, he can show a good finish like he has been doing.

“The big field will inject a lot of speed so hopefully he’ll be in behind them somewhere.”

Maharba and jockey Jordan Childs (orange silks) will head west to tackle the locals in Saturday’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Maharba will tackle the Winterbottom Stakes after posting the best win of his career in the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.

The win followed a solid first-up second in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield, finishing on the heels of last year’s Winterbottom Stakes runner-up Oscar’s Fortune.

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Childs said those efforts were prime examples of Maharba’s maturity in his four-year-old season.

“His form has been really good this time in, but he deserves his chance in a Group 1 race,” Childs said.

“This time in, I think he’s matured a lot and turned into a proper racehorse.

“I think that’s shown in what he’s been able to do this prep.

“He’s a lot stronger and racing a lot better in that he gets himself into a lovely rhythm to conserve energy and quicken off that.”

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Childs will chase his second Group 1 win after riding Written By to victory in the 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes for Begg.

Maharba was the pair’s 22nd stakes win of an association that stretches back more than six years.

The duo has combined for 112 wins at a strike rate of 18 per cent.

Childs said Maharba would have a good crack at giving the pair another Group 1 win.

“He tries hard and every time he goes out, he puts in 100 per cent,” Childs said.

“He’ll go out and do his best again on Saturday.”

Ladbrokes rated Maharba as a $9 chance in early final field betting on the Winterbottom Stakes.

Originally published as Victorian sprinter Maharba draws perfectly in Saturday’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot