Gotta Take Care etched his name indelibly in jumps annals with his third successive Brendan Drechsler Hurdler at Bendigo on Sunday, reports Racing Network.
After leaving his mark on Bendigo and Victorian jumping, part-owner Phillip Wood has floated the idea that Gotta Take Care may head to Japan next year in a bid to replicate the feat of another champion Victorian jumper, Karasi.
Karasi, trained by Eric Musgrove and ridden by Brett Scott, won three Grand Jumps at Nakayama.
Gotta Take Care, a rising 10-year-old, posted his ninth win over jumps and career win number 20 with a dominant display in Sunday's $100,000 feature.
And, punters had extra reason to cheer as his victory saw the club shout the bar between the third and fourth races.
Gotta Take Care’s latest Drechsler success saw his career earnings pass the $1 million mark, a stunning result for the Wood brothers — Phil, Ian and Graeme — who bred the gelding.
A far bigger bonus awaits the Woods if Gotta Take Care can add the Grand National Hurdle to his CV next month.
The Melbourne Racing Club is offering a $300,000 bonus if a horse can win three designated jumps races.
Already, Gotta Take Care has won two of them — the Galleywood and Australian Hurdles — and the Grand National on July 13 is the last leg of the three.
Jockey John Allen described Gotta Take Care as a “marvel of a horse” and comfortably the best he’s ridden.
Allen paid tribute to trainer Darren Weir, his strapper Angela and all the staff associated with the gelding.
“I knew the two in front of me (Wells and Stand to Gain) were the ones to beat so I was happy with where I was,” Allen said.
“The race worked out super and when I asked him to go up the straight, he took off.
“He’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden. I’m just the lucky fellow that’s riding him.”
Gotta Take Care, the $1.75 favourite, coasted to a six-length win from Wells, $3.70, with three-quarters of a length to Stand to Gain, $18, third.