The ever-reliable Lycka Till has started his winter campaign in the best way imaginable with a fighting first-up win on the Geelong Synthetic track.
Costa Plenty notched a win at the venue on June 23 before Lycka Till stepped out for his first run since his midfield run at Moonee Valley on December 27 last year.
Lycka Till scored over 1620m at Werribee two runs before his spell on December 14 but went around at double-figure odds despite recording a first-up win earlier in his career.
Nathan Rose took the ride on the four-year-old in the fifth heat of the Jai Roderick Memorial Winter Challenge (1300m) and the jockey quickly overcame a potentially awkward barrier seven with a positive decision.
Rose sent Lycka Till to race handy to the speed while favoured runners settled back in the field, which proved to be their undoing.
Lycka Till strode to the lead entering the straight but still had 300m in which he had to defy the challengers but the son of Magnus was not going to give in lightly.
The runner-up, the city winner Impostor steadily gained on Lycka Till in the last 200m but the gelding’s fighting qualities prevented the second horse from getting past in the last few strides.
Lycka Till’s gutsy win was his fourth in 17 starts and his first in Benchmark 78 grade while the $18,000 winner’s cheque took his stakes tally to more than $78,000.
Congratulations to Lycka Till’s wonderful owners and all involved with his brilliant success, which should set him up for a great preparation.
© MiStable 2015