Matt Jenkins confessed his heart skipped a beat moments before he watched Soaring Eagle hit the winning post ahead of the pack in Saturday’s Tatura Cup.
Jenkins, who co-trains with David Brideoake, said relief was the main emotion he felt after he watched Soaring Eagle seal a remarkable fourth straight Tatura Cup ($50,000) for the stable.
The stable could have created more history if Turbeau, winner of the past two instalments, wasn’t scratched on Friday evening following a deluge of rain.
Soaring Eagle jumped as $1.30 favourite in the 1400m headline race and looked home and hosed nearing the bend thanks to a peach run on the speed, however, punters and Jenkins were left biting their nails during the final furlong.
Leader Ziggi Rocks ($15) fought on bravely down the stretch and forced the in-form runner and jockey Matthew Cartwright to earn the win ― saluting by a neck to take out the time-honoured cup.
Jenkins, a former Tatura native, said he was “anxious” in the hours leading up the race as he looked to take out another hometown cup.
“I’m super stoked to have won, but it wasn’t without some nervous moments 200m out,” Jenkins said.
“I would be lying if I didn’t think she wouldn’t win because I truly did, I thought it was over at the 200m. It was a rush of blood that’s for sure.
“The feeling (after the race) was nothing but relief, I felt incredibly stressed an hour before the race, just having all my mates there, having the short-priced favourite ... I was more relieved than anything.”
Cartwright gave Soaring Eagle a decent steer from barrier seven, pushing the eight-year-old mare up on the speed.
Ziggi Rocks led them around and it wasn’t until the 400m mark that Cartwright made his move on Soaring Eagle.
The race could only be won by either of those two front runners once the pair hit the final furlong marker.
Onlookers expected the favourite to skip away to an easy win, however, Ziggi Rocks didn’t go down without a fight.
“She just didn’t quicken like she usually does and raced on the flat side,” Jenkins said.
“It was a combination of quite a bit of racing in a short amount of time. She didn’t run to the best of her ability, but she was a bit better than them, but again, 200m out I thought we were done.”
The triumph has the Tatura Cup head back to the Brideoake and Jenkins stable for another year.
Jenkins, a former jockey, was assistant trainer for the first two of the four-peat.
The former Goulburn Valley resident said it was a thrill to win the race again.
“I’ve spoken to David and he’s probably more happy for me more than anything,” Jenkins said.
“I’m stoked for the owners too; they’re a great bunch of people and that horse has now won $80,000 from four starts and is still making good money for an eight-year-old. It was a great result.”