Sydney three year old Fun Fact raced into contention for the 2019 Queensland Derby with an all the way win in the Group 3 $150,000 Mullins Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Eagle Farm today.
Jockey Michael Cahill, above, rose Fun Fact to an all the way win in the 2019 Grand Prix Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Winning jockey Michael Cahill let Fun Fact stride to the lead in the run to the turn out of the straight and after setting up a commanding lead mid-race, was able to hold out all the challengers in the run to the line.
Fun Fact was coming off a last start win in a 1600m BenchMark 68 Handicap at Warwick Farm and the Bjorn Baker trained gelding was sent out at the lucrative odds of $19.
Cahill let Fun Fact slip away to a six lengths lead at the 800m and still had a handy lead when heads were turned for home and went on to record a one length win over the fast finishing Angel Of Heaven ($10).
The John Sargent trained outsider Home Made ($71) raced in the first three throughout and stuck on in the straight to find third position.
The $3.40 favourite Lord Arthur, trained by Bjorn Baker’s father Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, was always back near the tail of the field and failed to make up any ground in the straight to finish well back in tenth position, almost ten lenghts from the winner..
Baker will head Fun Fact to the Group 1 $600,000 Channel 7 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.
“I think he got there so easy and was able to control and was still strong at the finish,” Baker said.
“We have to look at the Queensland Derby, that is the logical race. He is still in it.”
“I thought today at two two (2200m) might have been a stretch but we have to have a crack at two four (2400m).”
“Win, lose or draw we will put him put and hope to get back up in Queensland for the Magic Millions staying race.”
Fun Fact is now a $10 chance for the Queensland Derby in a fortnight.
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