Whobe in great order for tilt at the Valley

WHOBEGOTYOU's third quest for a Cox Plate began on an encouraging note yesterday when the six-year-old took advantage of interference to previously unbeaten Lights Of Heaven to score his 10th career win in the group 2 Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.

Generally the luckless bridesmaid when produced fresh, it was Whobegotyou which enjoyed some fortune yesterday as, while he was making his winning run, Lights Of Heaven was searching for clear room. Whobegotyou strode clear and held off the late challenge from the favourite to win by a long neck.

''There is quite a bit of improvement left to come and so that was pleasing,'' trainer Mark Kavanagh said. ''The other horse had her worries getting through but he won it fair and square.''

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Whobegotyou opened at $1.90 but was soon out to $2.60 as the money came for Lights Of Heaven, which was heavily supported from $2.40 to start the $2.10 favourite.

Trainer Peter Moody said while his mare was the luckless runner, Whobegotyou was a deserving winner. ''You'd never begrudge a horse like Whobegotyou,'' he said. ''He's a class animal.

''It was disappointing that she [Lights Of Heaven] couldn't get clear when we needed to but the positive was that she showed she was well and truly up to this company and there's plenty more to come from her, so we'll look forward, not backwards.''

Lights Of Heaven, which heads betting for the Caulfield Cup on October 15, will have her next run at 1600m in the group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

Whobegotyou jockey Damien Oliver said he narrowly missed a traffic jam near the home turn and once the horse got to the outside, he showed his customary finishing sprint.

''I think we might have even got to the front a bit early as he started looking around,'' he said.

A shot in the dark from the connections of restricted-class galloper Prince Obama paid off handsomely when he grabbed third place yesterday at the odds of $101. Prince Obama went with Jungle Ruler on the speed and although was left a sitting shot on the home turn, only group 1 winners Whobegotyou and Lights Of Heaven could get past him.

Trainer Jason Clifford said he had no immediate plans for Prince Obama, which has been placed in all 12 starts but is eligible for much inferior midweek races.