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By Tony Megahey

For comeback stallion Vilified ($23 on TAB), natural instincts prevailed and so costly in arguably the unlucky run of the day at headquarters and a return for Saturday’s Rosehill Gardens TAB Highway.

“Those city fillies distracted him, mind on other things away from the races,” quipped astute Wauchope trainer Colt Prosser after the five-year-old entire’s enormous effort two weeks ago.

In an 1100m dash, he stood at the start, settled last on the fence and eventually powered home to be beaten two lengths in smart time by the winner Just in Reach.

Wauchope-based trainer Colt Prosser. Image by Manning River Times

A flashing light indicator for Saturday from the half-brother to The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, both from the dam Sin Sin Sin.

Vilified is to be ridden again by regular jockey Peter Graham with 56.5kg in the $120,000 Class 3, 1200m.

“Pete said he was really stirred up onto the track and at the barrier. Then bombed the start hopelessly or would have been in the finish."

Long trip bad day, as they planned for another crack: “We’ll do it a bit different this time, bring him down on his own.”

And likely as less time in the parade ring as possible around the fillies and mares.

Rarely does a five-year-old stallion race in town and Vilified seemingly was proud to let all know about it.

After more than a year off following successive leg surgeries and another for a wind infirmity, Vilified has been a revelation.  He put together booming wins from last with big weights at Coffs and Port Macquarie.

Originally a Maher and Eustace discard after just one start in 2020 at Caulfield, Prosser bought him to breed with his own stock.

After severe and prolonged problems Prosser didn’t anticipate he would race, let alone win three times. Vilified has had only 12 starts.

“It took a long while to get him right and work him out,” Prosser explained. “Pete understands him and been on him both wins.

“Has to ridden real quiet because of the wind issues. No trying to sustain a run - what has worked is being held back for the last crack at them.  We won’t be changing anything.”

Vilified is bred to get further as Press Statements usually excel out to 1400m or 1600m. So 1200m from the “shorts” is an advantage.

But the emergence and success of Vilified has given encouragement and positives for Prosser who has endured successive seasons of the most damaging floods in the region’s history.

Meanwhile, Saturday sees another typically deep and capacity episode with numerous recent winners. In a wide market, Proverbial and Demitasse share favouritism at $7.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Rosehill Gardens here