Potcheen, the reigning champion sprinter, turned around his form on Saturday after an electrifying last furlong and a half brought him victory in the 19th running of the $1.5 million Lotto Sprint Trophy after trailing the field for most of the race.

It was the six-year-old’s first visit to the winners’ enclosure this season since winning the Gold Cup in December 2014. Potcheen by virtue of Saturday’s win now boasts a racing record of 12 wins from 39 starts for earnings of $9,525,000.

With four-time champion jockey Omar Walker doing the riding honours again for trainer Harry Parsard, Potcheen, who was sent off as a 7-2 betting chance, got the job done when all seemed lost but his late burst resulted in the six-year-old nipping Fortuneonehundred (Aaron Chatrie) on the line by a head in 1:06:0 minutes for five-and-a-half furlongs. Talented Tony K (O’Brien White), the leader for most of the race finished third with All Correct (Shamaree Muir) fourth in the three-year-old and upwards event.

“Potcheen ran an excellent race. I had a feeling that this day would be the day that he ended up in the winners’ enclosure. I was not 100 per cent sure but I had a hunch.

“Despite the journey, I knew that he would catch them in deep stretch as the headline was going too fast, and that is what he likes,” Parsard told the Complete Racing Guide.

Walker said that he was confident that Potcheen could get the job done.

“The trainer gave him some sharp works coming into this trophy race. I know him like the back of my hands and once I got the inside run I knew we would get up in time,” he said.

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