Trainer Joe Pride has scored a late win on 2015 Doomben Cup Day this afternoon; saddling classy three-year-old Kuro to success in the card-ending Listed Mick Dittman Plate (1200m).

Jockey Craig Williams was thrilled to pick up the ride on Kuro in the Mick Dittman Plate and immediately led the Denman colt for the fore of the field following an ideal jump.

Set an incredibly quick tempo alongside talented local Miss Cover Girl, the pair opened a small gap on Soldi Domani and Deiheros who sat perched and waiting for their chance of success in the race’s dying stages.

Rounding the straight with a clear line, Kuro and Miss Cover Girl continued to open to gap on their rivals and remained neck and neck until the final 200m when Williams asked his mount for an extra effort and the Kelly Schweida-trained filly was unable to sustain.

Having stalked the front pair for the entire race, Godolphin runner Sarajevo charged home for second and Deiheros placed a close third.

Williams delivered an impressive performance aboard Kuro for success in the 2015 Mick Dittman Plate and is confident Pride’s decision to take the lighter option with the three-year-old today will pay dividends further into the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

“Credit to Kuro today – he had to do all the running,” Williams said of Kuro, who had to overcome the wide barrier 14 for success.

“Joe Pride put the blinkers on today and it seemed to work really well.

“From that draw we weren’t offered many favours … So we elected to end up leading. I was comfortable to sit away from the rail and when I asked him to quicken at the end of the race after doing work at the start he was very strong.

“Kuro had two choices today – run the Group 1 (BTC Cup, 1200m) or the three-year-old race.

“It’s given him a win now, it’s given him confidence and the owners and Joe Pride can choose where they run him next.

“He was very good and strong today.”

Having ended an impressive 2014 campaign third in the featured Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) Kuro ran third in the Listed Fireball Stakes (1100m) and a close second in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) leading into this afternoon’s triumph.

2015 Mick Dittman Plate Results