Comin’ Through cements Epsom Hcp claims

Comin’ Through does best in a driving finish to win the Bill Ritchie Handicap at Randwick.

Comin’ Through has claimed his fourth and so far most important race with his owner Sir Owen Glenn on hand at Randwick to see him win for the first time.

Although he had to fight off a couple of challengers late in Saturday’s Group Three Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), Comin’ Through ($2.30 fav) had something in hand and beat Tom Melbourne ($5.50) by a long head with Burning Passion ($5.50) another half head third.

New Zealand philanthropist and former Auckland Warriors part-owner, Glenn had success with multiple Group One winner Criterion and is looking to his half-brother to step up in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) in two weeks.

‘The Epsom is the one we want,” he said.

“This is the first time I’ve seen him win. I’ve seen him get beaten though.

“He has a lot of talent but he is a different horse from Criterion. I think he might be a show-off.”

His jockey Michael Walker disagreed, describing Comin’ Through as a thinker.

“He just does enough,” Walker said.

“He thinks about it and when the horse (Tom Melbourne) came up on his outside he he put his head in front.

“He is a very good horse and the reason I got down to 53 kilos today.”

Comin’ Through had not raced since his win at Randwick four weeks earlier but had a barrier trial to keep him up to the mark.

“We took the risk of going four weeks between runs to make sure we kept a little bit of speed in him and most importantly still having him there for the Epsom in two weeks time,” trainer Chris Waller said.

“If he draws a good gate in the Epsom he will be very hard to beat.”

His owner will return for the Epsom for which Comin’ Through is now the $11 third favourite, firming from $15.

Weights for the Epsom will be released on Monday.