Cliff Brown’s patience has paid off, with Von Hauke returning to the winner’s circle for the first time in 19 months by claiming the $400,000 Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, the six-year-old Savabeel gelding stormed through late after a tight run to defeat Golden Path ($4.20) by a length, with favourite Rise At Dawn ($2.90) a nose away in third.
It was redemption for Von Hauke, who was luckless in the same race last year, and Brown said the victory reflected the horse’s growing maturity.
“He’s a nice horse and he’s racing really tractably at the moment,” Brown said. “He just needed the breaks and we got them.”
After several promising efforts this campaign, Von Hauke has now earned a shot at Group 1 level, with the Champions Mile or Champions Stakes on Champions Day under consideration.