Cambridge-based trainer Brendon Hawtin achieved one of his career goals when lightly raced 4-year-old Simply Optimistic scored a decisive victory over 1200m at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
After spending a good part of his youth in Sydney where his father Keith played an integral role in fellow New Zealander Graeme Rogerson's multi-state training operation, the younger Hawtin had always cherished the thought of returning one day with a horse good enough to compete in the Sydney market.
That goal was fulfilled on Saturday when Simply Optimistic produced a sustained finish in the closing stages for rider Josh Parr to win at his first start since September last year.
Hawtin was on top of the world as he ticked off a career ambition.
"That was an amazing feeling and I'm just so chuffed to get the win and stick it up the Aussies like that," he said. "It's not often our sprinting types can come over here and win against them so that made it even better for us. I've been waiting a long time for a horse good enough to be able to bring over and this guy has proved to be the one.
