“IF you’re on the favourite, you’ve got a few worries at the moment.”
That was how race caller Rick Mcintosh summed up the chances of Prince Ziggy who was badly held up in last place on the home turn at Warrnambool on Tuesday.
Early in the home straight, the Monaco Consul gelding’s connections and the punters, who had backed him into $2.35, still had their hearts in their mouths as jockey Brad Rawiller was “ducking and weaving” trying to find a way through the congested field.
Checked off heels at the 200m, Prince Ziggy still had plenty to offer and, soon after, when finally in the clear he responded brilliantly.
In a flash, Prince Ziggy put the race beyond doubt and burst away the last 100m to score by 2-1/4 lengths from Zatso and Great Society in The Melbourne Marriott Maiden Plate (1400m)
Rawiller couldn’t recall winning on a horse so easily after having so much bad luck.
“I was just worried on the heavy ground (after the bad luck) he wouldn’t be able to quicken like you would normally expect but to my bloke’s credit he did and he was a very soft winner,” Rawiller said.
“He couldn’t have been more impressive the way he won.”
Prince Ziggy was overdue to win his maiden and his class shone through.
Last campaign he finished second in a photo finish in a Sandown maiden in February and he was also runner-up at Terang and Geelong in January.
On Tuesday, he was second up at Warrnambool which was only his ninth career start.
“He was much better than them today and he will be better as the distances increase,” said trainer Jamie Edwards.
“We’ve always liked him as a horse who will get over a trip being by a Derby winner from a Street Cry mare.”
Prince Ziggy has a number of first-time owners who include Surf Coast Mayor Brian McKiterick and Ziggy and Kez Witcombe.
Other owners are Dave Ryder, Brian O’Dwyer, Wayne Brewster, Bill Cassarino, David and Russell Bruce, Steve, Kevin and Daniel Riley, Mark Lawry and Janet Edwards.