Courage right to the line
Comeback jockey and Mr America together display true grit
APPRENTICE Chantal Willis notched her first win back from an injury-enforced layoff when she guided Mr America to victory in the benchmark 64 handicap over 1650m in Devonport on Sunday.
The Glenn Stevenson-trained gelding was having his third start this preparation and had to call on all of his courage to fend off determined challenges from the eventual minor placegetters.
Mr America looked like being swamped 100m from home, but under strong hands-and-heels riding by Willis the son of All American refused to wilt and hit the line a halflength clear of Greenmount Lass and Scouting Around.
“Chantal is doing the hard work to get back to where she needs to be to make a go of this riding caper so she deserves the win,” Stevenson said.
“I’m very pleased with how the horse fought on today and I’d say he will improve even more from this run.”
Willis said she’s come back more determined than ever.
“I am really focused and once I get my weight down to where it needs to be, every- thing will hopefully fall into place,” she said.
Spreyton trainer Barry Campbell emerged from the meeting with a double, courtesy of his two-year-old Kwai winning a maiden and his stayer Moorcroft notching a firstup win in a benchmark 58 handicap over 1350m.
While Kwai pulled up in great shape, it was an unhappy outcome for Moorcroft, who was diagnosed with a bowed tendon after the race.
Moorcroft faltered soon after crossing the line and was pulled up quickly by apprentice Breaana Smith.
“I’m not sure of the extent of the injury but we’ll give him as much time off as he needs to recover — he’s won three of his past four so he’s worth bringing back,” Campbell said.
Campbell confirmed Kwai would be spelled at Armidale Stud at Carrick, as will his talented three-year-old filly De- rasa, who was a game third at Caulfield last Saturday.
“Kwai and Derasa will go to Armidale this week for six weeks and when they come back Kwai will be aimed at the 3YO Cup and the other sprint three-year-old races and Derasa will probably be aimed at a tilt at the Newmarket as well as feature mares’ races during the Tassie carnival,” he said.
One of the most impressive wins on the program was by the Rowan Hamer-trained Aspirate, who produced a sensational finish to take out the 2YO maiden over 1150m.
Aspirate was backed in from $2.20 to start the $1.85 favourite but when he missed the start by four lengths after rearing as the starter released the field, those who took the short odds would have been contemplating turning their tickets into confetti.
But rider Daniel Ganderton stayed cool and allowed the gelding to make up lost ground gradually and when he was balanced in the home straight the gelded son of Moshe unleashed an incredible finishing burst to get up and score by a half-length.