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Now a six (6) year old stallion, Oliver Twist finally realised the promise his trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith had always felt the horse had, when he became a dual Group 1 WFA winner during the Spring of 2000. The horse, ridden on both occasions by Sunline's jockey Greg Childs, won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on 23 September (over 1800m), before he was controversially withdrawn from the Caulfield Stakes on raceday due to a positive swab. The horse missed the Cox Plate, but gained some consolation for some missed opportunities with a fine win in the Group 1 LKS MacKinnon Stakes on Derby Day. He showed his quality with that win, when locked away on the rail for a good part of the race. It was not until Camerena drifted from the rail that Greg Childs was able to get Oliver Twist out, who responded brilliantly by diving through the gap to win by about a length. Although it could comfortably be assumed that he would not bother the champion mare Sunline (with Childs in a perfect position to judge you would expect), Oliver Twist was nonetheless one of the best performed older horses this season. His dual Group 1 victories are in addition to his 2000 Blamey Stakes, and his 1999 Coongy Stakes wins. |
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