Gold Standard 2YO Wins $1million VOBIS Showdown
Gold Standard first shot to fame with Group I winning juvenile Sheza Belter and has put himself back in the spotlight with another smart juvenile in promising colt Big Wigs, who took out the $1million MRC TBV VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Two weeks after the sad news of the passing of Champion mare Makybe Diva, the well-known Tony Santic silks were worn to success by the Phillip Stokes trained Big Wigs.
Having finished second in his only previous two starts, his last start effort behind Godolphin’s smart filly Medicinal has since proven a strong form reference with the winner coming out last Saturday and taking out the G3 Ottawa Stakes.
Starting on the second line of betting, jockey Lachlan Neindorf settled Big Wigs towards the tail of the field after jumping from the outside barrier in the field of 12 and he finished with a late rush to claim a thrilling half head win over the Waterhouse Bott runner Miss Chanel.
BIG WIGS WINS THE SHOWDOWN‼️
Tony Santic wins the $1M feature two weeks on from Makybe Diva's passing 💙🤍❤️@lneindorf @pstokesracing pic.twitter.com/VWDlsDYInT
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 14, 2026
Big Wigs took his overall record to one win and two second placed efforts from three starts with the Makybe Racing & Breeding homebred taking his earnings to $608,900.
Tommy Stokes was on course to talk about Big Wigs victory in the race they have targeted a long way out.
“He’s the most quiet, honest colt to be around in the stable. He’s a stable favourite and it’s credit to the staff, they have done an incredible job.
“It’s a massive thrill. It means a lot to have these colours aboard. Mr Santic is here on course today and he’s brought a whole heap of owners with him.
“What a thrill. It’s a massive prize money race. It’s a race we targeted for a fairly long time. He’s been to Adelaide, he’s come back, we thought he’d be winning at Ballarat but he ran into a smart one, but he’s been able to hold himself nicely here and Lachie summed it up perfectly.
“It was where Lachie wanted to be pre-race. He was confident to be there and have one last crack at them. He was spot on and the horse was very tough.”
A half-sister to the Group II placed Cavity Bay, who also finished fourth in the G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks, Big Wigs is the second winner from three to the races out of the Denman mare Nooks And Crannies from a family littered with numerous international G1 winners.
Big Wigs comes from the biggest foal crop so far for Gold Standard, conceived off the back of Sheza Belter when his service fee shot up to $17,600.
