Falls on target for Cup

KILLIN Falls cemented his place in next month’s $100,000 Devonport Cup with a resounding win in the Sheffield Cup over 1650m at Spreyton yesterday.

The Glenn Stevens ontrained five-year-old hit the front in the home straight but then seemed wait for his opposition to catch up.

Killin Falls he regained his composure and went on to defeat the fast-finishing Eastender by a long neck with Geegees Soprano a close-up third.

The gelding’s fifth win from seven outings on the synthetic surface was clearly his best.

“The Devonport Cup has always been this horse’s main mission and from what he did today he is bang on target to achieve our goal,” Stevenson said.

Killin Falls raced in blinkers yesterday, a significant gear change for the son of Savoire Vivre.

He was well ridden by Daniel Ganderton, who has been aboard for all of his starts this time in.

“When he got to the front he had a gawk around but he picked up again when he saw the other horse [Eastender] coming out wide,” Ganderton said. “The blinkers definitely helped, so that is good to know going forward.”

In winning the Sheffield Cup, Killin Falls earned ballotfree entry into the Devonport Cup to be run over 1880m in a fortnight. Eastender is unlikely to progress to the Devonport Cup but will instead be aimed at the Brighton Cup over 2100m in Hobart two days after the Devonport Cup. ONLY a few horses win a class one straight after breaking maiden status, but Century Arrow joined that brigade when he led throughout to win the Joe Mason Memorial Maiden-Class 1 over 1650m.

Century Arrow strung together multiple minor placings before winning his maiden over 1400m under lights in Launceston earlier this month after which his trainer, Angela Brakey, suggested the fouryear-old might take a lot out of his first win.

“It is quite amazing because when he got home after winning his maiden his attitude seemed to change and while he’s not a difficult horse to handle at home he seemed more confident in whatever he tackled on the training track,” Brakey said.

Century Arrow ($1.40) showed his customary early speed to lead with Beautiful Boy’s ($12) rider Chris Graham content to allow his mount to race second with Gee Gees Bulldog and Aljazmic sharing third a few lengths astern.

When Craig Newitt asked Century Arrow to quicken the gelding slipped a couple of lengths clear and he held at margin to well into the home straight.

Brakey said there was a suitable race for Century Arrow on Devonport Cup day — January 10.