Edging ever closer to a million dollars in earnings, the tough and resilient Casino Prince entire Hooked earned a fourth stakes some 19 months after his third when successful in Saturday's Group III Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Luke Nolen for trainer Robert Smerdon, Hooked fought off a determined front-runner Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) in the final fifty metres to score by a short neck with Turbo Miss (Sebring) two and a half lengths back in third. (photos Grant Courtney).
It was his first win since capturing the Group II Tramway Stakes at Randwick in September 2015 when trained by John Thompson.
"I got to where I wanted to be and he relaxed and I thought at the top of the straight we were going to be hard to beat," Nolen said.
"We blended into it on straightening and he was too good. He's very honest and he was well placed in this grade."
The 6yo stallion advanced his overall record to 6 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 35 starts with earnings of $912,250.
Originally owned by Nathan Tinkler, Hooked was purchased by Ultra Thoroughbreds for $600,000 at the 2014 Patinack Farm dispersal.
The son of Casino Prince owns wins in the $200,000 Group II Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley and the Group III Cameron Handicap at Newcastle and was third behind Criterion and Tupac Amaru in the 2014 Group 1 ATC Australian Derby and filled the same spot behind He's Your Man and Royal Descent in that
"He got into a great spot and when he came out at the top of the straight I thought 'well you've given it every possible chance'," Smerdon said.
"He had the barrier and he was the beneficiary of the speed. When we came round the turn I looked behind because I thought that was where any danger would be. Charmed Harmony was very brave, he's hard to get past."
A trip to Adelaide is now on the cards.
"There's the Group III R A Lee Stakes at Morphettville on May 20 so he'll probably head there," Smerdon said
"He gets a good mile, he can lead over a mile so I'd think that's where he'll go."
Hooked is the sixth live foal of the Sydney winning Lure mare Absolute Lure, a 4-time veteran of the sales ring, who is a half-sister to the Group III Coongy Handicap winner Fire In The Night (Danewin).
Absolute Lure has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible and a weanling colt by Foxwedge.
She was covered by the Danehill stallion Bullmore last spring.
