Phil Sly is a well known racing character, he loves the game, races a number of horses, he won a race at Caulfield yesterday with Politeness, and again was missing from the winner’s circle for another date with the dreaded chemotherapy.

Sly has cancer in just about every part of his body; he continues to shrug it off with a smile and gets on with life.

He is likely to be back at the races next week as if nothing has happened, he continues to take it all on the chin, he is a hard man to keep down.

Politeness would have given him a real thrill; he races the mare with leading Japanese breeder, Mr Yoshida.

The mare turned in a big performance, she was giving the leaders a fair start from an awkward position from the home turn, the run was full of merit, she can certainly win again now that she has returned to form.

Vezalay, the favourite, ran her races in patches, she began well and was with the leading bunch for a 100 metres, then dropped out completely until near last, where she commenced to get a new lease on life, running on to finish fourth.

Trainer, Robert Smerdon, is on the lookout for a suitable black type race for Politeness during the spring.

Politeness winning the Sprint Series