New Zealand stayer Petushki booked himself a Brisbane Cup start and headed off a jumping career in Melbourne with his first win in more than a year at Doomben.The John Wheeler-trained Petushki outstayed his rivals to down Hume by a short head in Thursday's Jacobs Creek Sparkling Plate (2220m).Petushki was runner-up to Riva San in last year's Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm but had not won since he was successful in an 1800-metre three-year-old race at the Gold Coast on May 17 la
New Zealand stayer Petushki booked himself a Brisbane Cup start and headed off a jumping career in Melbourne with his first win in more than a year at Doomben.
The John Wheeler-trained Petushki outstayed his rivals to down Hume by a short head in Thursday's Jacobs Creek Sparkling Plate (2220m).
Petushki was runner-up to Riva San in last year's Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm but had not won since he was successful in an 1800-metre three-year-old race at the Gold Coast on May 17 last year.
As a three-year-old Petushki's connections had big plans in mind with the son of Golan for last year's spring carnival in Melbourne but Wheeler convinced his fellow part-owners to bypass the plum staying races and instead head for the spelling paddock.
"He ran second in the Queensland Derby and at the time his other owners were hoping to run him in the Melbourne Cup," Wheeler said.
"It took some convincing but I talked them out of it and suggested he'd be better off going for a spell.
"I told my partners he'd come back bigger and better after a break but it hasn't turned out that way."
Petushki had six starts in his homeland following the Queensland Derby but the four-year-old didn't reproduce his three-year-old form and missed a place on every occasion.
Despite being out of form, Wheeler decided to return to Queensland for the winter with Petushki who again failed to inspire his owners with two provincial defeats at the Gold Coast and Caloundra earlier this month.
"He was going to go to Melbourne to become a jumper if he didn't win today," Wheeler said.
"It was a good win and he ground away like I know he can."
Wheeler will now give Petushki a further opportunity to stall a jumping future in the Group Two Brisbane cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.
"I'm looking at the Brisbane Cup with him but he may also run in the Caloundra and Queensland Cups," he said.
Meanwhile, jockey Michael Cahill warmed up for his assignment in Saturday's Group One Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm with a winning double from his only two rides at Doomben.
Cahill will be striving for his first Queensland Oaks win aboard the Bart Cummings-trained Think Money in the 2400-metre feature.
Cahill, who won the opening two maiden races aboard the Bruce Hill-trained pair African Lion and Elsquare, has been troubled by a shoulder he injured in a recent fall at Caloundra.
"I rode at the Singapore Cup meeting and won two races after I had the fall and when I came back home it was pretty sore," Cahill said.
"I didn't ride again until Doomben 10,000 day last Saturday and it still wasn't feeling right so I had some scans taken yesterday as a precaution but it's fine.
"I've never won the Queensland Oaks but Think Money is my best chance."