Weight no worry as Imanui in fine touch

TOWNSVILLE sprinter Imanui has sent a warning to any southern gallopers planning on a road trip north ahead of the rich Cleveland Bay Handicap during the Winter Carnival.

The Jeffrey Caught-trained gelding put in a well-timed run to chase down $2.50 favourite Polar Blast (Janel Ryan) in yesterday’s HYGAIN Benchmark 69 Handicap over 1200 metres.

Carrying a hefty 61.5kg, the topweight shot out from the gates on the speed before experienced jockey Chris Whiteley settled behind the leaders.

The gelding pulled out at the turn for home, before taking off in a two-horse sprint to the line alongside Polar Blast.

“He just got him in the end,” Caught said after the race. “It was a bit tense, but after you win a few races you get experienced with that. It is never over until they hit the line.

“He carried a lot of weight, and to win with that sort of weight is a great achievement no matter what class of horse you run against. He jumped pretty well with them but the ones on the inside just had too much speed, it was a pretty good ride by Chris in the end.

“You couldn’t go back because of the weight, it would be too hard to make up the ground. You have got to be handy and Chris decided to be handy.”

Caught said it was a pleasant change for the gelding, which had been guilty of overracing in his recent starts.

It was a good tune-up for the six-year-old, who is eyeing off a late charge into the $75,000 Cleveland Bay Handicap next month.

With his rating likely to jump up to the low 70s, Caught is planning to give him one more run in the next fortnight ahead of the feature sprint.

“You have got to get in but just get in, you want to be low on the weights still,” he said. “That is a long way away yet. Anything can happen between now and then, I will just take it one run at a time with him.”