Commands is well on the way to successfully defending his Australian winners’ crown this season and he’s also well ahead in the wins category with less than three months of the season remaining.

Voice Commander kept the ball rolling with a courageous victory in Friday’s Wagga Gold Cup and the Listed win could be the catalyst for his sire to launch a late bid for the stakes winners title.

The Darley champion has sired 125 individual winners of 194 races and he holds a significant lead over Encosta de Lago (115 winners – 175 wins).

The stakes winners premiership is too close to call with the Brisbane winter carnival still to run its course.  Redoute’s Choice (12) currently holds a slender lead over Encosta de Lago (11), Commands (10) and Lonhro (9).

Voice Commander is a typical Commands.  The Canberra based galloper got up off the canvas to win the Wagga Cup by a nose over World Wide.  “I thought we were beaten when he was headed at the top of the straight,” trainer Nick Olive said.  “But he tries more than any other horse I’ve ever trained.  He does everything right.”

Voice Commander (6g Commands-Voice Mail by Magic Ring) was bred by South Australian horseman Greg Lesnikowski and sold through the Strathwood Park draft for $55,000 at the 2006 Adelaide Magic Millions.  The gelding has won 12 races and earned $718,730.

The Wagga Cup (2000m) is his fourth black-type victory following the Festival Stakes and Frank Underwood Cup in Sydney and Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba.

He is one of four winners for Brisbane winner Voice Mail.  His NZ bred second dam Marketeer (Decies) is a half sister to G1 Victoria Oaks winner My Tristram’s Belle.