Tiger storms home at Gatton
RACING: Giving away a big start wasn’t enough to stop Richie Stephenson’s gem from running home at Gatton.
Bernie’s Tiger ($11) made it back-to-back wins after a surging last-to-first victory in the Laidley Cup (1600m) at Gatton on Saturday.
Shauqin ($8) was able to push to the lead from a wide barrier, with Josh Oliver electing to snag Bernie’s Tiger to the tail.
He made his move approaching the home turn, and despite taking the bend wide at the tight circuit, was able to build up enough momentum to run over the top of the field, scoring by a neck to Shauqin, with Li’l Rodge ($16) three lengths from the winner back in third.
Trainer Stephenson said the gelding received a brilliant ride from Oliver, and looked the winner in the straight.
“He was ridden nice and quiet and was able to come home over the top of them for a nice win. He’s going very well,” Stephenson said.
“We’ve found the correct way to ride him and to space his races.
“The home turn at Gatton is pretty sharp and he had to come quite wide where he lost a bit of ground, but he was always going to win in the straight I thought.
“Even though he only won narrowly, I had the impression he was always going to win and that nothing was going to beat him over the last 50-60m.”
The continued success of the five-year-old, who recorded his seventh career victory, comes with an extra special delight for Stephenson as he is able to race the horse with good friends.
“He’s a lovely, docile horse and it’s a pleasure to train him,” he said.
“There’s a heap of good people that own him.
“Rodney Teevan is an exsolicitor, John Forsyth is a good friend of mine and Ron Brittle is another good mate.
“They’ve stuck with me for years with horses. I don’t have that many these days, I only take a small team, so it’s good to have them there.”
One of the more hotly-contested events on the card was the Gatton Star Class 5 Handicap
(1100m).
Despite strong market support for the John Wallacetrained Cossie ($2.60 fav), it was Ben Ahrens and Lucky Fix ($3.40) that were able to score a narrow victory.
Remember Mary ($3.20) led the field up to the bend with Cossie and Lucky Fix getting to the lead, before the latter was able to edge out Cossie by a neck, with the leader finishing up in third.
# AT Eagle Farm, Lindsay Hatch’s Papa Jo ($7) made the most of a hot start to score with ease in the Benchmark 70
Handicap (1000m).
Brad Stewart sat the gelding up on the speed, finding a turn of foot in the straight to score by two and three quarter lengths.