CURRIE VICTORY TOAST OF TOWN
Double keeps form going
RACING: Ben Currie flew the local flag at Clifford Park’s metropolitan meeting yesterday with a pair of winners.
He started the day in the best way possible, with Victory Toast and Pure Pulse running the quinella in the Crowe Horwath QTIS Two-Years-Old Maiden Plate (1300m).
Victory Toast ($3.60) was heavily backed in the market and jumped accordingly, bouncing clear by almost one length to take up the running.
The filly was able to hold off the challenges from fancied runners Addocarr ($3.40 fav) and Phoenix Global ($3.50) to score by two and a quarter lengths to her stablemate Pure Pulse ($16).
“She always jumps well. She jumped similar to the first-up run (at Ipswich). We were pretty keen to lead and I was pretty comfortable with where she ended up,” Currie said.
“She got taken on a bit from the 800 to the 400 which wasn’t ideal but she still relaxed well for a horse that’s inexperienced.
“But she’s similar to the other Spirit Of Boom’s at the moment. They’re just flying and they have a bit of a class edge.
“We’ve always had a good opinion of her and we’re really happy to see her get the job done.”
Currie said there were some concerns over the 1300m at just her third career start, however he was pleased with the way she hit the line.
“You’re always a little bit worried with the third start in a race and only second-up this time in going to 1300,” he said.
“It’s a pretty tough 1300 up here. You have to go up the hill and the track always has a little bit of give in it so it’s probably a bit harder 1300 than a lot of places.
“We wanted to get her relaxed and teach her to hit the line and she did that. She gave a good kick at the corner and she’s tough through the line so I think she has a good future.”
The win gave Taylor Marshall his 16th metropolitan winner of the season, and the young rider believes the horse will have no problems getting to a mile.
“She jumped very sharply. The plan was to either sit outside the lead or to lead, and when she jumped so well we were left in front,” Marshall said.
“Stepping up in trip you're happy to slow the tempo in a race. I think she’ll definitely step up and progress to the mile. She was quite strong to the line today over 1300.
“She was travelling very strongly throughout. At the top of the straight she carried me right the way through and found a nice kick.”
The run of second-placegetter Pure Pulse also impressed Currie, and he believes the colt isn’t far away from breaking his maiden.
“He’s been a horse that has shown us a bit. I was a bit disappointed first-up but I think he just got a bit lost and the occasion got the better of him,” Currie said.
“His work this week was good and he looked a danger at the furlong. I thought he might run over the top of her. Both horses run really well and I think he’s probably near a win.”
Crusher ($4.60) brought up Currie’s second winner of the program with a win in the Trackside Photography Fillies and Mares Class 3 Handicap (1200m), scoring by a length and a quarter.