Reserve Bank capped off a remarkable month with a career-high victory in The Goodwood Handicap (G1) May 10 at Morphettville.
Having been a juvenile maiden and benchmark 64 winner heading into last spring, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr. trainee produced a desperately close runner-up effort in the Danehill Stakes (G2) at Flemington last October in his first crack at stakes level.
Moving on to Caulfield the following month, Reserve Bank failed to reproduce that Danehill Stakes effort, running fifth, albeit still beaten less than three lengths behind Lofty Arch in the Gothic Stakes.
Returning for this preparation in March, the son of Capitalist produced sixth-placed finishes in both the Inglis Sprint and William Reid Stakes (G1).
And then, a journey to South Australia was made and the winning spree began.
Beginning with a half-length success in the Redelva Stakes April 12, Reserve Bank then claimed the Tobin Bronze Stakes (G2) honors April 26 before Saturday's breakthrough group 1 success, which brought up three-straight victories at Morphettville.
Ridden for the first time by Jamie Melham in The Goodwood, Reserve Bank, who is owned by a cohort of owners including Yulong, was ridden for a bit of luck entering the home straight but found the gaps when needed and came home strongly to run out a 1 1/4-length winner over Sir Sway.
Clayton Douglas' two-time group 1 winner and The Everest (G1) hero Giga Kick—who was sent off as the hot $2.10 favorite—endured a wide trip and came home strongly for third, with just a photo separating second from third.
"Nothing went to plan, he reared out the gates, missed the start, but I just got a dream run, I got a beautiful run in the end," Melham, who won The Goodwood aboard Benedetta last year, told Racing.com.
"Giga Kick was on our outside, I thought if I drag back now and get on his backside, he's going to be too sharp.
"We just rode for luck, the gaps came, I was just a passenger, Mick (Price) has this horse absolutely flying—it was a very impressive win."
Price was understandably delighted with Reserve Bank's success, but revealed he had concerns during the race itself.
"I was a bit concerned in the run, where he was," he told Racing.com. "I did say to her (Melham), 'He's a nice flow-along sort of horse—he doesn't like the mixed messages and don't drag him back.'
"But thankfully, they ran along and he was allowed to use his big stride late and he took off.
"He just needs a bit of room. He's a sizeable colt, and he's got a good long stride on him, and he was strong at the end of 1,200 meters (about six furlongs).
"As the race worked out, you know, it was probably a good spot for him to be. There was a bit of argy-bargy going on up in front wasn't there? He's a lovely colt, and he's won a group 1—fantastic."
Jake Toeroek, who rode Sir Sway to finish second, said of his mount: "Super run. You can't be disappointed with that. He's run out of his skin and tried his guts out and the connections are really happy."
Meanwhile, connections of Giga Kick were pleased with the now 5-year-old's first-up effort and confirmed the gelding will push on to the Kingsford-Smith Cup (G1) at Eagle Farm May 31.
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