Australian Venture won his third race for Daffy defeating Our Valdivia and Canna in a $30,000 Showcase benchmark 64 at Warrnambool yesterday. 

Daffy revealed following Australian Venture’s win Faber the four-year-old would make an ideal Western District horse. 

“Geoffrey oversees the Sheik’s Australia horse racing interests. He told me Australian Venture was not up to the top-class races which the Sheik wants to win but would give new owners plenty of joy in the country,” Daffy said. 

“Geoffrey’s advice is spot on. Australian Venture has won three and got four minor placings from his 12 runs for us. He’s just a good honest horse who has been unlucky in a couple of other races.”

Promising apprentice jockey Ben Thompson had the winning ride on the son of Lonhro and he earnt plaudits from the respected trainer following the win.

“It was a great ride from Ben. He never panicked at any stage after drawing a wide barrier. 

“Ben’s master Mick Kent is turning into a real guru educating young apprentice jockeys how to ride. 

“Mick is like the late Frank King who was a marvellous tutor for young jockeys back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s,” Daffy said.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do with Australian Venture now. We’ll have to look around for a benchmark 70 race for him next time. I reckon his best distance is around the 1400 metres.”

Thompson told The Standard after the win Australian Venture was his 26th race winner.

“My claim drops back to two kilograms now. I’ve only been riding for seven months so I’m very pleased with how I’ve been going,” the 18-year-old apprentice said. 

“I was confident a fair way out that I was going to win. Australian Venture was very fit for the race. I think he appreciated the drop in class to today’s race.”

Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams teamed up with apprentice jockey Damien Thornton to win with Duchovny and Artie’s Shore on the seven-race program.