Higher Power gets maiden Group 1 win in ANZAC Cup

The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained Higher Power made his first start in open company a winning one when taking out the Group 1 ANZAC Cup with a faultless trotting display at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The 4-year-old son of Father Patrick enjoyed the perfect trip in the trail behind Walkinonsunshine throughout, coming off her back at the home turn and trotting strongly to the line to hold out open class veteran Midnight Dash by a length with another in Oscar Bonavena finishing third a further two lengths back.

Although often overshadowed by his more illustrious stablemate, and fellow son of Father Patrick, Meant To Be, Higher Power has still forged a terrific record of his own to date having won nine races, including the Group 3 Young Guns Final as a 2-year-old, and banked $243,638 in stakes earnings.

Bred by Breckon Farms Ltd, Higher Power is out of the four-time Group 1 winning Muscles Yankee mare High Gait, and is the third Group Race winner out of the mare sired by Father Patrick, with the other two being the Group 1 winner High Energy and Group 2 winner High Step.