Galileo Quinella in Bendigo Cup

Consistent stayer Tanby (5g Galileo x Dane Belltar, by Danewin) scored a well deserved win in the Listed Bendigo on Wednesday beating his stablemate At First Sight (5h Galileo c Healing Music, by Bering) to give champion sire Galileo a quinella in the feature staying event over 2400 metres. Both the winner and runner-up are prepared by Robert Hickmott for Team Williams and both will seek to run in the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday, although only At First Sight is assured of a run. At 38th in line for a start in next Tuesday's great race, Tanby needed an impressive Bendigo Cup win to earn a weight penalty and force his way up the Melbourne Cup order of entry. Experienced jockey Steven King lived up to his part of the equation with a well-judged ride, positioning Tanby midfield on the fence before forcing a clear passage on the home turn. Tanby opened a three-length break on his opposition before his stablemate At First Sight charged home late under 58kg to lower the margin on the line to a little under two lengths. "They went fairly quick early but he gave me a beautiful ride,” King said. "When I asked him to switch on, he switched on and hit the line well.” An ultra consistent stayer, Tanby has won seven races and placed six times from 15 starts earning $346,955 in prizemoney with the Bendigo Cup his first stakes victory. Blessed with a real stayer’s pedigree Tanby is by champion sire Galileo and is the first foal of Group III winner Dane Belltar, who was second in a Group I VRC Oaks and third in the Group I SAJC South Australian Oaks and Australasian Oaks.