Not An Option All Heart in Chester Manifold

Karaka graduate Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) completed a treble of New Year’s Day black-type victories for Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay when he scored a hard-fought win in the A$175,000 Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Not An Option was a $240,000 purchase by Pike Racing from Curraghmore’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2019. From 33 starts, the six-year-old gelding has recorded seven wins and four placings, earning more than A$638,000 in prize-money.

As well as sharing in the ownership of Not An Option, the Lindsays also won a pair of Group Two races at Pukekohe on Monday with homebred filly About Time (NZ) (American Pharoah) in the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2050m) and fellow Karaka graduate Habana (Zoustar) in the Rich Hill Mile (1600m).

Not An Option had to work hard for his Chester Manifold win, surging to the lead in the straight in the hands of jockey Michael Dee but quickly being joined by Who Dares (Deep Field) and Jye McNeil. The pair fought tooth and nail down the straight, and it was Not An Option who claimed a narrow win in a head-bobbing finish.

“It was lucky that my horse had the real will to win,” Dee said. “At the end of the day, Jye would have outridden me in that race, so it was lucky that my horse was able to get his head over the line in front.

“At the top of the straight, I could see that Jye was starting to come through quite quickly inside me. I was a bit slow to get across and shut the gate. When you’re in that position, you’re always in two minds – whether to try and keep your horse balanced, or whether to shut the gate. I ended up half-pie doing both.

“Once Jye got the run, it was a matter of keeping my horse at his peak and keeping him balanced. He won well.”

The Mike Moroney-trained Not An Option has now been a three time winner over 1400 metres at Flemington.

“I think the long straight helps him go so well here,” Dee said. “It’s not sit-sprint, and he’s allowed that time to go through his gears, find his peak and keep running strongly to the line.”