WHISKEY calls the SHOTS!

Twenty months between drinks is a long interval so connections of SHOT OF WHISKEY were understandably relieved as much as thrilled to see the 5yo lead from barrier to box at Doomben on Wednesday.

The SPIRIT OF BOOM gelding loves to dictate from the front and the victory was richly deserved after no less than four consecutive seconds in his previous preparation.

“Very proud of the horse and our stable apprentice Fiona Sandkuhl,” said trainer Matt Hoysted.

“I thought she rode him perfectly, making the defining move early by giving him another squeeze and taking him to the front.”

Sandkuhl had recorded her first metropolitan victory on stablemate TOWN CRIER at the recent Ipswich midweek “city” meeting. So securing her second on one of Brisbane’s two metropolitan courses was both appropriate and well earned.

The free running SHOT OF WHISKEY was the perfect mount for a claiming apprentice as he’s led the field in the majority of his starts and relished Fiona’s 3kg reduction, dropping his weight to just 54.5kg.

No doubt the long-awaited trip to the winner’s circle prompted plenty of “bubbles” as well as “shots” for his large ownership group who’ll now aim to be celebrating on Saturdays in future.

Carnival time often sees races of BM78 class demoted to midweek meetings but Matt now feels Saturday company beckons, given the consistent speedster now has 5 wins and 7 placings in his 26 start repertoire.

Proven has now racked up 34 wins for the season and earnings just shy of $3m with a couple of months remaining.

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