An unwanted eight-year-old mare and a battling trainer upstaged the big names when Langfibian scored a fairytale win in the $100,000 Bat Out Of Hell (900m) at the Gold Coast.Kempsey trainer Barry Ratcliff was reduced to tears after Langfibian, ridden by country NSW apprentice Robert Agnew, out-sped her rivals to score a half-length win.The victory on Saturday took Langfibian's record to 18 wins from 63 starts with prizemoney nudging $240,000, a fair profit on the $5,000 Ratcliff paid for the mar
An unwanted eight-year-old mare and a battling trainer upstaged the big names when Langfibian scored a fairytale win in the $100,000 Bat Out Of Hell (900m) at the Gold Coast.
Kempsey trainer Barry Ratcliff was reduced to tears after Langfibian, ridden by country NSW apprentice Robert Agnew, out-sped her rivals to score a half-length win.
The victory on Saturday took Langfibian's record to 18 wins from 63 starts with prizemoney nudging $240,000, a fair profit on the $5,000 Ratcliff paid for the mare as a yearling at the request of an owner who subsequently discarded her.
"I paid $5,000 for her for a bloke who didn't want her," Ratcliff said.
"Since then she's won all those races and it's been absolutely fantastic."
With tears welling in his eyes, Ratcliff promptly revealed he was off to buy a new pair of shorts and a yearling at next week's Magic Millions sale in that order.
"I can afford a new pair of strides now. It's taken a long time but that's put me on the map and I just might buy a yearling at the sales next week."
Ratcliff wasn't the only one celebrating a career-high. Mature-age apprentice Robert Agnew savoured his best day after he won the opening event on Momentously and backed up to land his biggest win on Langfibian.
Indentured to Tas Morton at Port Macquarie, the 25-year-old had ridden Langfibian at her past four starts for two wins and he was elated with his success.
"That's easily my best day and a day I will always remember," Agnew said.
Agnew took the short way home and drove Langfibian ($31) through along the inside section of the heavy track and the veteran mare held off the unlucky Azzaland ($3.50) by a half length.
The punters who backed Sydney sprinter Keen Commander into the $1.70 favourite knew they were in trouble on the turn when jockey Corey Brown felt for the whip.
The speedster held his ground in the straight to finish a length and half back in third in a performance that left his trainer Denise McGrath disappointed.
"I was optimistic he would win today, especially on the wet track," McGrath said.
"The only thing I can put it down too is the fact that I had gone too easily on him during the past week," she said.
McGrath confirmed Keen Commander would definitely back up in the RM Williams Sprint (1000m) next Saturday providing he pulled up well.
"That has always been our main aim and he'll take improvement out of this race."