Golden Mile victory delivers redemption for Von Hauke
The Golden Mile from last year ranks among the races trainer Cliff Brown wishes to forget in Von Hauke's resume, and briefly on Saturday, he anticipated the 2026 renewal might end up similarly archived.
Yet, differing from the prior occasion where the consistently hard-luck gelding was blocked for most of the straight before settling for fourth, 1-1/2 lengths shy, he navigated the gaps effectively to storm home for a pulsating success in the $200,000 Listed race.
Brown often experiences anxiety viewing the six-year-old in action and was delighted to see the tardy improver obtain the necessary fortune for what he deemed a merited triumph.
"I thought it might be history repeating itself, that's for sure," Brown said when asked his thoughts in the run.
"Good on him. He's a lovely horse and he seems to be getting better.
"I think mentally he's better. Physically I think they take time, but mentally he's a lot better. He still overraced a little bit, but he's far better than he was."
Von Hauke, a $11 chance at Bendigo, picked up win number five from 27 attempts by darting clear to hit the front approaching the final 100m and withstand a closing bid by Wonder Boy ($4.60) in the 1600m showdown.
Shockletz ($12), back from a spell as a stayer, flashed home eye-catchingly to grab third, another half-length adrift.
Von Hauke's success followed his previous close-fought win in the Group 2 Crystal Mile during Cox Plate Day, and rider Harry Coffey highlighted the gelding's quality.
"He's got a great little turn of foot, he just needs races run to suit," Coffey said.
"He was the best horse in the race, he just needed things to be run how he likes, it was and we've seen how good he is."
Brown indicated the gelding will probably travel to Queensland aiming for the Winter Carnival, lacking a definite target but not dismissing a cutback to 1400m in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap come early June.
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