The six year-old son of former Darley shuttler Street Sense (USA) has found
career best form this season for Kris Lees, having previously been trained by
the late Guy Walter, Joe Pride and Tony McEvoy.Winning the Group II ATC Villiers Stakes in December seemed to be a turning point for Sense of Occasion (pictured Steve Hart) , who has since finished third in both the Group I ATC Doncaster Handicap to It's Somewhat and third in the Group I ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes to Winx.
That's A grade form and he showed it again at Doomben on Saturday.
Drawn the outside in a big field, Sense of Occasion was superbly ridden by Corey Brown, who brought him surging home from back in the field to win the 2000 metre weight-for-age test by a length and a quarter.
Brown was determined to win the Doomben Cup after admitting jockey error on Sense Of Occasion a fortnight ago in the Group II Hollindale Cup.
"I had to pull my socks up after the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast when I gave him a bit of an ordinary ride," Brown said.
"When the Doomben Cup barrier draw came out and I saw he drew 18 out of 18, I knew I had to produce a good ride.
"Without wanting to sound too cocky when he got into a three-deep trail leaving the straight the first time I felt the race was as good as over because he was travelling that well.
"For about 50 metres on the home turn he came off the bridle but once we got into the straight I knew he'd pick them up because he's got an unbelievable finish."
Lees admitted he was concerned with the barrier but felt it was offset by Sense
Of Occasion getting his favourite heavy track."When the track started to break up it negated the barrier a little," Lees said.
"Corey just waited a bit and timed his run to perfection.
"The horse has had a really good preparation we will put him away and he will be set for the spring."
Sense of Occasion has the overall record of eight wins and nine placings from 34 starts earning over $1.6 million for his happy group of owners.
Bred by Shadwell and foaled and raised at Yarraman Park, Sense of Occasion is the second winner from Saywaan, a half-sister by Zabeel to Group I winner Rewaaya.
Tracing to influential matriarch Easy Date, whose descendants include Golden Slipper winner Forensics and leading sires Snippets and Not a Single Doubt, Saywaan was on-sold by Shadwell in 2012 and died last year.
He is the eighth Group I winner for Darley's Street Sense, a Kentucky Derby winning son of champions sire Street Cry.
Street Sense is on the Darley USA roster at a fee of $45,000 and his Australian Group I winning son Hallowed Crown stands at Darley Australia this spring at a fee of $27,500.
