[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Stable warhorse Let’s Galahvant brought up his 13th career win when taking out the featured $125,000 Listed Bunbury Volkswagen South West Cup (2213m) at Bunbury on Sunday.
Ridden by Tash Faithfull, the rising eight-year-old started a $12 chance at his fourth run back from a spell and broke a 743-day winning drought in soft-7 track conditions in style.
The gelding jumped from barrier eight and settled last through the early stages of the race before a clever ride saw him make ground through the middle of the 10-horse field prior to cutting the corner on straightening and finishing off brilliantly to hit the front passing the 200m mark.
He continued to pull away over the final stages to defeat Diamond Scene ($4.20) by almost two lengths, with Opportunistic ($4.40) a further head away in third place.
After a tedious previous 18 months with injury setbacks, Let’s Galahvant put the writing on the wall for his breakthrough victory with a slashing second to Western Empire in the $200,000 Group 3 Strickland Stakes (2000m) at Belmont on July 13.
His last win came in the 2024 edition of that race before finishing third in the Listed South West Cup a fortnight later.
Purchased by Pearce Racing for only $10,000 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions sale, the veteran has now had 53 career starts for 13 wins, 14 minor placings and an incredible $1,078,810 in total earnings.
Sunday’s victory was his fourth at Listed level, with his first being the 2023 Listed Hannans Handicap at Kalgoorlie with Tash Faithfull also aboard, in addition to one Group 3 triumph.