Dixon’s stranglehold on Ladbroke’s three-year Finals

Premier trainer Grant Dixon had six of the ten runners in the $100,000 Ladbrokes Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic Final for three-year-old stallions and geldings and the question was which of his starters would triumph.

As it turned out, Fight To The End (Bettors Delight), piloted by Grant’s wife Trista, proved too strong for his opponents.

FIGHT TO THE END NOV 21 REPETITION

Amanda Turnbull on Stay Foolish managed to hold on to the lead but favorite Rags For Riches, piloted by Grant Dixon, tested him for the early lead and the first quarter was run in a quick 27.2 seconds. Sweet Lad Jujon secured one out and one back. Meanwhile, Fight To The End was able to get one off the fence and one out and sit three back with a round to go.

Stay Foolish and Rags for Riches quickly surrendered as Fight to the End kept a sustained run wide and pulled away for a clear straightening lead. Fight To the End had too much class at the end against Happy As Can Be, who did his best work at the finish with Sweet Lad Jujon in third, ahead of Ultimate Ark, which gave the Dixon stable the first four spots.

Fight to the End is played by Kevin Seymour, who played Faith Prevails with his mother. She was a useful mare with seven wins for a career of 21 starts and was trained by Mark Litchwark and ridden by Luke McCarthy throughout her career.

Faith Prevails has been a prolific producer at stud with all of her previous ten offspring recording wins. And these include Feel the Faith (17 wins), Frankie Rocks (23 wins), Fame Assured (24 wins) and Fast Tracker (17 wins).

Unfortunately, Faith Prevails has missed three times since Fight To The End. But Fight To The End could prove to be the best of his mother’s offspring, as has been shown so far.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink