Mates win big mile in record time

“Hayds and I have been best mates since we were about 15. It’s a great thrill to do it with him and Amanda. They’re such a great team. I’m really stoked,” Matty White said after winning the $100,000 Dawson Harford Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park last night with We Walk By Faith (Bettor’s Delight) trained by Hayden and Amanda Cullen.

The race was packed full of drama with Sooner The Bettor and Jolimont going head to head early and cutting out the first quarter in 26.5.

“It felt like we were running early. I was happy with where I was, didn’t do any work and he tracked up really nice. The further he went the better he felt.”

White settled We Walk By Faith back early and coming out of the last bend, he brought him five wide. Once he activated the ear plugs the four year old found an extra gear and ran over the top of the pack to win by a length and a half from Republican Party who also came down the middle of the track.

Merlin the favourite, looked to be a chance as the field sprinted for home but he ran out of racing room and had to be content with fourth, four lengths from the winner.

WE WALK BY FAITH REPLAY

“He could have gone another lap, he didn’t want to pull up. It was a super effort.”

The time of 1-51.6 smashed the race and track record of 1-52.2 set by 2022 winner Spankem. We Walk By Faith’s time was just a second outside Border Control ‘s New Zealand record of 1-50.6 set at Ashburton in 2013.

Owned by Denis and Mark Dunford, the win was We Walk By Faith’s third Group One. He won the Ace Of Spades as a two year old when trained by Mark and Nathan Purdon and the New Zealand Derby when trained by Hayden.

Hayden and Amanda have been training since the beginning of the year, and this was the partnership’s first Group One win.

It was White’s second Group One. He won the 2023 Caduceus Club Two Year Old Fillies Classic driving Coastal Babe for Steven Reid.

Hayden Racing also won at Addington last night. General Jen won the Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes Fillies Semi Final, claimed with a brilliant tactical drive by Blair Orange.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink