WILLNOTQUIT FINALLY GETS HER REWARD

By Graham Potter | Sunday, December 4, 2022

The Kerry Taplin trained Willnotquit had struggled to find a winning touch over a long period of time, but, true to her name, perseverance finally paid off when the five-year-old mare saluted in a Maiden Plate over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast on December 4.

In fairness, while Willnotquit’s had to wait till her twenty-first start to claim a victory, she was not winning out of turn having finished second (twice) and third in three of her four starts leading into this race.

Willnotquit started on the third line of betting at $5 behind the two main fancies Playful Passion ($2.45) and Toro D’Oro ($2.50), with Mark Du Plessis, who had ridden Willnotquit in those two second place finishes, back in the saddle.

Caught wide from the number seven barrier draw early, Du Plessis pressed forward on Willnotquit and they found the lead with the minimum of fuss after the field had covered 200m ... with Toro D’Oro settling in second place, tracking the Taplin trained runner, just a length off the speed.

These two leaders held station all the way down the back straight and through the sweep to the home turn with the balance of the field trailing, struggling to keep up.
Coming to the point of the turn, Toro D’Oro moved closer and tried to put pressure Wollnotquit, but, on straightening, it quickly became apparent that Toro D’Oro was the one feeling the pinch, as Du Plessis kept Willnotquit going at a resolute gallop, an effort which had the race won as early as the 200m mark, courtesy of the horse’s commitment and a finely rated ride by Du Plessis.

Such was Willnotquit’s superiority in the end that the field finished well and truly strung out behind her, coming home in virtually single file.

Toro D’Oro did stay on for second 2.30 lengths behind the winner and it was another 2.30 lengths back to the third placed runner.

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