END TO END WIN FOR STYLE SEEKER

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, October 19, 2022

The Maryann Brosnan trained Style Seeker drifted from $9.50 to a starting price of $17 when he tackled a Class 1 Handicap over 1690m at Ipswich on October 19, but those who stuck fast with the Savabeel gelding were rewarded when the five-year-old prevailed in a close finish with another $17 chance Cairdeas.

The starting price never seemed to be quite right.

Style Seeker was second-up here, but he had won second-up before … and, in his previous preparation, he had placed in all three runs at three different tracks (Eagle Farm, Doomben and Grafton) from 1600m to 2060m … so there was definitely factors to recommend his chances.

Jasmine Cornish sent Style Seeker into an immediate lead and he took the field along down the back stretch a comfortable length clear of Makalu ($4.40).

Inside the 1000m mark Jaden Lloyd rushed up to try and pressure Style Seeker on Cairdeas, making ground three wide before moving across, almost too sharply, to challenge for the lead.

Cornish and Style Seeker were not intimidated by Cairdeas’ presence though and they held their line and their lead as Cairdeas settled in a close-up second place for the time being … but Cairdeas was not about to go away.

As the field closed up on the approach to the home turn, so did Cairdeas close on Style Seeker, to the point where these two runners joined issue in a serious battle on straightening.

At the 200m it looked as if Cairdeas has just got his head in front, but now it was Style Seeker’s turn to show that he was not done with yet … and the Brosnan runner kept fighting … edged back in front … and held a 0.20 length winning margin at the line.

The $2.90 favourite Savagal flew up (too) late. It might have been a different result in another couple of strides but, in the end, the favourite had to settle for third place.

It was a hard fought and well-earned victory with Style Seeker showing resilience and Cornish yet again displaying her ability to get a horse to jump well, to rate it well and to still leave her mount with something to offer when it matters most - riding traits that have fuelled her success to date.

This was Style Seeker’s second success in ten career starts, the previous one ironically coming with Jaden Lloyd in the saddle.

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