Lachlan King follows in his father’s footsteps with Flemington winner

LIKE Jordan Childs, Lachlan King understands what it is to exist in the shadows of a high achiever.

Childs, son of Greg, already has a Group 1 scalp.

King, whose Melbourne Cup-winning father Steven was also a highly accomplished rider, is yet to scale those giddy heights.

But his journey has started, accelerating significantly on Saturday with his first Flemington winner aboard Sherlock Holmes.

The ownership connection is irresistible. Lloyd Williams raced Zone, who provided Steven King with his first winner at Sandown in 1988.

The leviathan owner also has an interest in Sherlock Holmes, whose victory in the $120,000 Living Legend Efficient Handicap — a race named after Williams’ 2007 Melbourne Cup winner — was more than a milestone.

“Mr Williams actually said to me prior to the race that Dad got his first winner in these colours,” King, 19, said. “I’ve only been riding in town a short period, so to get a chance like this and obviously be able to repay the faith in these colours is an excellent way to kick it off.

“I really appreciate the ride. The whole Williams family, Liam (Howley, trainer) and the whole team up at Macedon Lodge and Dad’s really helped. We talked through the form pretty intensely last night.”

King cajoled Sherlock Holmes to an overdue victory, the import having tasted defeat at his previous two starts as favourite.

The 2800m race was disrupted early when Sin To Win unseated rider Cory Parish — who was hospitalised with lower back pain — and raced on towards the head of the field.

Undaunted, King maintained impressive composure to pilot Sherlock Holmes ($4.80) home ahead of Charlevoix ($9) and Sly Romance ($31).

“I was very confident coming to the bend,” King said.

“Liam actually rang me during the week and said, ‘Just make sure that last furlong is your best’ and he was just travelling too well.”

Part-owner, Williams’ son Nick Williams, praised King’s handling.

“He couldn’t have ridden it any better,” he said. “It was a very messy race with the loose horse there. It was great to see a King riding a winner at Flemington.”

Chief steward Terry Bailey said officials were ready to direct the remaining runners around Parish if he could not be moved from the track, near the 300m mark.

“I had my finger on the button ready to call it off,” Bailey said.

* SYNDICATOR Darren Dance is becoming something of a fixture at the Werribee quarantine centre while running the rule over various imports.

Having chanced desperately close to Melbourne Cup glory with ill-fated Heartbreak City, Dance notched a significant milestone when Crack The Code claimed the $100,000 Graham Salisbury Plate (1100m). Crack The Code is the first horse to sport Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock’s vivid yellow colours for Mick Price.

SUNDAY FIX
IN A NUTSHELL
THE Darren Weir juggernaut rolled on at Flemington with the premier trainer taking honours with Lipstick Lover, Land Of Plenty and Iconoclasm.

The treble followed another dominant Warrnambool carnival and, most poignantly, Group 1 success with Harry Coffey and Sopressa in the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.

Weir undoubtedly will be a factor again in Adelaide next Saturday for the SA Derby.

James Cummings also chimed in at Flemington with a double through Barbeque and Tarquin.

■ THE Living Legends race day might not have had Headquarters heaving at the seams, but it was a reminder of what makes racing irresistible.

Rising talent, enduring professionals and emotional owners helped pay homage to a raft of racing’s great contributors. The Victoria Racing Club’s admirable initiative recognised the champion equine athletes and also a cluster of revered industry participants.

Chief among them was ailing Graham Salisbury, whose community service with Subzero has helped project the sport out of its traditional heartland. Others to be acknowledged were John ‘Patto’ Patterson, Mick Mallyon, Midge Didham, Tommy Hughes and Akke van Den Dolder.

DID YOU SEE/HEAR?
VICTORIAN Civil and Administrative Tribunal president Greg Garde has ordered Racing Victoria and trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh to bear their own costs in the latest chapter of the long-running cobalt saga. Justice Garde ruled “there was nothing done by RVL in the conduct of the proceedings that would merit an award of costs against it”. He also noted: “Nothing I say is intended to affect any civil claims that the applicants (O’Brien and Kavanagh) may have against (vet) Dr (Tom) Brennan or the Flemington Equine Clinic.”

O’Brien on Saturday won the Living Legend John ”Patto“ Patterson Handicap with promising mare Another Bullseye.

■ WARRNAMBOOL’S hugely successful carnival is regularly associated with tales of betting coups. This year was no different, with claims a notorious racing figure, now based in Queensland, capitalised on the “strong mail” provided by an associate.

BACK ME
ARISTIA: Charged from the tail of the field to finish fourth behind Crack The Code, clocking 22.51sec over the last 400m. Will be even better over more ground.

GALAXY RAIDER: Headed Another Bullseye and shaped to win before losing by the narrowest margin. Clocked the quickest sectionals in seven different categories from the 1400m.

SOVEREIGN NATION: Steamed late. Not far off another win.

BOOM TIME: Lumped 60kg, sat three wide and was only just nailed by a brilliant Dan Stackhouse ride on Tarquin.

SACK ME
ALOFT: Fred Kersley reported the import was travelling beautifully and then threw in the towel, prompting owner Nick Williams to declare: “He has a mind of his own.”