Fidakat showed his preference for Toowoomba’s Cushion Track with a record-breaking victory on Thursday.  The locally trained sprinter broke the course record in wet conditions at Clifford Park.

Fidakat (4g Manner Hill – Vania by Fasliyev) clocked 65.51s for 1100 metres in the PSP Video Open Handicap.  He outpaced the opposition to win by two lengths from Hyde Park (Thorn Park) and Heza Flashman (Iglesia).

Owner – trainer Ross Coveney was quietly confident on three counts.  Fidakat was coming off a break, in adverse conditions and the change from turf to a synthetic surface also helped.

“He runs better fresh and he loves the cushion track ,” Coveney explained.  “And he wins every time it rains here, too.”

Fidakat also had the advantage of apprentice Brooke Richardson who used her knowledge of the horse to keep him focused.  “You have to ride him on a loose rein,” Coveney continued.  “You can’t hold him back – he doesn’t like being in there with the others.”

As a yearling, he cost just $5,000 at the 2008 Gold Coast Magic Millions and took time to get going according to the trainer.  “He had eight starts before he won a race.  They were saying I shouldn’t bother and then he won the next week at 50-1.”

His sire Manner Hill (Danehill) was a G3 winning stayer in Sydney.  He stands for a $7,700 (inc gst) service fee alongside Floral Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus) at Cherokee Rose Stud in Victoria.

Manner Hill has sired 35 winners of 93 races.  His dam Mannerism (Amyntor) was a Caulfield Cup winner and she also foaled G2 STC Peter Pan Stakes winner Dandify (Danehill).  

Fidakat’s dam Vania is an unraced half-sister to the dam of G1 AJC Doncaster Hcp winner Triple Honour (Honours List).  Second dam San Pauli Girl (Western Symphony) was a G2 winner of the SAJC Sedgwick Classic.

Vania’s first foal Vanqualo (Sequalo) won at Doomben before transferring to Hong Kong.  He has been placed in his last four starts at Happy Valley.