Millenary pure magic for mighty Quinn
John Dunlop’s 2000 St Leger winner takes a bit of knowing and has to be held up until the last possible moment, a task which Quinn accomplished with great skill in the two-and-a-quarter-mile feature.
High Action set a decent gallop, in a race run in pouring rain, with Millenary (11-4) adopting his customary position at the rear of the seven-runner field.
The tempo increased off the home turn where Kasthari, who dead-heated with Millenary in the race 12 months ago, moved into a prominent position with Quinn still biding his time.
At the two-furlong pole Sergeant Cecil, tracked by Millenary, moved up to challenge Kasthari and soon hit the front.
But Quinn had the move covered and he waited until 50 yards from the line before sending Millenary into the lead.
The evergreen eight-year-old produced a telling finishing kick to win a shade cosily by three-quarters of a length from Sergeant Cecil with another one and three-quarters back to Kasthari.
Millenary has now won 12 races - Pat Eddery rode him to the other five victories - for almost £1 million in prize money and plans to retire him to stud could be postponed for another year.
Dunlop said: “That was very nice, I really enjoyed that.
“It was really a repeat of his York win last time but I told Richard beforehand ’don’t forget there’s another two furlongs to go and to exercise even more patience’ and he duly did
“He sat and sat and sat and I thought ‘oh dear’ are we ever going to go at all but he picked up beautifully. It was a beautiful ride.
Quinn added: “I was confident from about three out after I had picked the right horse to follow. To ride him like that - it’s just the way he enjoys it.
“He’s a Classic winner - the only Classic winner in the field. He’s got the class and a turn of foot.
“To ride like that gives me great pleasure.
Distinction, the 5-4 favourite, was a major disappointment and trailed in last but one under Kieren Fallon.
However, he remains on course for the Melbourne Cup with connections blaming the rain-softened ground for the defeat.
