Verry Elleegant's brother Affluential had his six-race winning streak snapped with a last-start second on the flat at Warrnambool but was back to winning form over the fences when climbing off the canvas to land the $300,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown-Lakeside on Sunday.
Ridden by Will Gordon for John Leek Jr, the Peters Investments colour-bearer received a charmed run behind the leaders Sky Hero and Freddy The Eagle. Moving smoothly to the lead on straightening, Affluential looked to be in trouble when The Good Fight levelled at the 200m. Under hard riding, Affluential dug deep to defeat The Good Fight (High Chaparral) by one and three-quarter lengths, with Leaderboard (Street Cry) two and a quarter lengths back in third.
It was Leek's second win in the race after Team Heritage (Encosta de Lago) took the feature twenty years ago.
The winning trainer said it was a tough watch.
"He was on the steel, and when the other horse came to him, I thought, 'Oh God,' but he had something left in the locker," Leek told Racing.com.
"He does switch off a bit, he doesn't stop trying, but he doesn't try as hard when he hits the front."
It was a first major for Will Gordon, who said it did not come without some anxious moments.
"At no stage did I feel comfortable," Gordon told Racing.com.
"This is super satisfying. We targeted this race from a long way out, so it's pretty special."
A 13-start maiden, Affluential has found his niche over the fences, where he has been unbeaten in four starts.
The 8-year-old brother to 11-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant made his first nine starts in Perth for Adam Durrant before transferring to Leek.
The son of Zed only broke his maiden at Pakenham in April. He has been on a winning streak, with seven wins from eight starts, and has now banked $347,437.
Bred by Don Goodwin, Affluential was purchased out of the Grangewilliam Stud draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $140,000 by bloodstock agent John Chalmers on behalf of leading Perth owner Bob Peters.
Goodwin had purchased Opulence for just $14,000 at the 2011 NZB National Broodmare Sale. The daughter of Danroad is also the dam of the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup winner Verry Flash (Zed).
Opulence died in September 2022.
