Protection Money proved he is a stayer on the rise with a pleasing and persistent win at Ladbrokes Park Sandown yesterday.
It is brilliant to have the services of Damien Oliver. While we might not have looked like the winner until the final stages of the race, Damien was full of confidence and rode the horse as such.
It is also particularly pleasing to be winning metropolitan races with horses bred and raced by Ross Wilkinson. He has bred the entire family and plans the matings with great consideration.
Protection Money is a son of Domesday, a stallion we have liked training the progeny of. Like many from the Red Ransom sire-line, Protection Money should continue to improve as he demonstrates a classy racing craft already.
This was Protection Money’s eighth start of a sustained preparation. Stepping him out over 2400m has been a revelation. We have been fortunate enough to train most of his extended family and interestingly, he is the first horse in the family to win a race beyond 2000m.
He has a great racing manner and is displaying the hallmarks of a nice stayer in the making. He is also responding well to having three to four weeks between runs and has now won three of his last five races. We are hopeful he can continue to progress through the grades.
All being well there will be another suitable race in a few weeks time and Protection Money can be winning again.
