Dillinger’s emotional win

Promising Dillinger landed some good bets in breaking his maiden status at Hamilton on Tuesday, January 17.

Backed from $2.60 into $1.75 favourite, the Tony & Calvin McEvoy trained gelding was beautifully ridden by Dean Holland in the Riddle Constructions Maiden (1600m).

Holland had the three-year-old away nicely setting second early, before racing in third spot to the home turn, then coming with a well-timed run to score.

Dillinger won by three-quarters of a length from Zippity Zoustar ($6), the leader which fought on strongly, with third-placed Dollar Bucks ($91), a distant seven lengths away third.

Trainer Tony McEvoy was impressed by Dillinger’s win.

“It was a lovely ride by Dean (Holland),” McEvoy said.

“The horse began well, that is what barriers can do.

“Last start we went back to get in, and just gave the race away, whereas today he was able to control the race.

“We like him, we’ve got a lot of time for him.

“He’s never really run a bad race, and I think we’ve just worked out he wants to get out over a bit of ground, that is why we went straight to a mile (1600m) second up.

“Owner Barry Ramsey has come over today with his family, Luke, Josh, Ashley and John – they lost their wife and mother last week to cancer to it was emotional and important to them today.

“I’ve known the Ramsey family for a lot of years, they are a Streaky Bay family, so we go back a long, long way and I am over the moon for Karen today.”

Winning jockey Dean Holland said Dillinger was on the improve.

“He’s done a great job,” Holland said.

“Mentally, he got worked up pre-race, but with a delay he was able to be cooled down and was more switched on for the race.

“He is still a big, raw baby.

“He floated outside the leader early, so I let one go and he then travelled sweet, he was never really going to get beaten.

“He still had to dig deep at the 100 (metres), the leader sort of kicked, but he was way too good for them.

“There is no doubt he has a future – we rode him like the best horse today, but I think he will be a better horse ridden off the speed.”