Overdue victory celebration at Eagle Farm

The only surprise about Victory Command’s breakthrough victory at Eagle Farm was that it hadn’t come much sooner.The Barry Lockwood-trained four-year-old son of Pierro had placed in nine of his previous 11 appearances, including a frustrating four runner-up finishes.However, good things come to those who wait, and the connections of our homebred and former high-priced yearling were able to enjoy an overdue celebration after the gelding saluted over 1800 metres.“We got a little bit further back than anticipated, I gave him the best ride I could and the best horse won,” successful apprentice Cody Collis said.They were tardily away to settle back on the fence before picking up ground cross the top and they finished best in the run home.Victory Command is out of the English-bred Makfi mare Subatomic and was secured out of our draft at New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for $850,000 by Queensland’s KPW Bloodstock.The dam is a half-sister to international stakes winners Worldly, Nice Danon and Donativum and her unraced Savabeel colt was purchased at Karaka last year by Chad Ormsby’s Riverrock Farm for $140,000.Karson Choi, of Hong Kong, bought Subatomic’s colt by Hello Youmzain for $120,000 at Karaka earlier this year and the mare is due to foal to Almanzor.