Jockey claim, Boart gain
A LAST-minute decision to race Boart out of his class paid big dividends for Brighton trainer John Luttrell in Hobart on Sunday.
The advantage of having a light weight and the assurance of a solid pace played into the gelding’s hands, with apprentice Alex Patis ensuring the son of Artie Schiller had the run of the race.
While Boart’s form of late has been well below par, Luttrell was confident that on his trackwork during the week leading up to Sunday’s assignment, the gelding was capable of winning with the right run.
He gave that responsibility to young four-kilogram claiming Victorian apprentice Patis, who is on loan to Spreyton trainer Adam Trinder.
“Shuji Amano, who rides a lot of trackwork for me, suggested I put a four-kilogram claiming apprentice on because it was the weight that was probably preventing Boart from winning in lower grades,” Luttrell said.
“I took his advice and put Alex on and she rode the horse exactly as I asked.”
Boart arrived in Luttrell’s stable almost three years ago and he has been a good money-spinner for owners Satchithananthan Chilliah and the trainer’s wife, Cheryl.
“The horse pulled up like he had not had a run, so I’ve nominated him for a benchmark 64 in Devonport next Sunday over 1350m and he should be hard to beat again with a light weight on his back.”
Boart’s win was an early birthday present for the trainer’s daughter Nicole, with the family set to paint the town red tonight in Hobart and most likely at part-owner Chilliah’s Hobart city restaurant, Little India. CONSISTENT gelding Agree To broke through for an overdue win when he proved too strong for a small field in a benchmark 84 handicap over 1600m on Sunday.
The Scott Brunton-trained five-year-old had been placed at his two previous outings against similar opposition but this time the breaks went his way.
It was Agree To’s fourth win since arriving from Queensland a year ago.
He won his first three and looked set to power his way through to open company but, after a flop in Launceston last November, Brunton sent him for a spell.
The gelding is at home on all types of going but his best chance of reaching open class might be on drier surfaces.
Agree To won in Devonport at his first start for the stable in September last year, so he obviously has no aversion to racing on the synthetic surface, which opens up Brunton’s options in the coming weeks.