Statham gets knighthood
New Zealand sprinter Statham will chase further black type when he makes his next appearance in Queensland.
Racing as Sir Statham, the Danroad seven-year-old overcame an interrupted passage to finish fourth in the Listed Chief De Beers Handicap at Doomben on Saturday in his first outing for Kelly Doughty.
‘‘He ran terrific and I expected a bold race from him,’’ the Gold Coast trainer said.
‘‘He’s done a treat since he’s been here, he looks beautiful and his work had been great.’’
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Sir Statham got further back than anticipated in the running and attacked the line strongly once he was into the clear.
‘‘One horse came back on him and pushed him back and he flew home that last 100 metres,’’ Doughty said.
‘‘Kerrin said if he hadn’t got pushed back he would just about have won the race.’’
Sir Statham won six races from the Byerley Park stable of Scott Lucock and Sally Gillespie, including the Group III Concorde Handicap, for owners Simon Rusbridge and Luke Cameron before his transfer to Australia.
‘‘Luke had a share in a horse with me, In The Moment, who was related to Little Brown Horse who won 14 races for us and that’s how we got this bloke over here,’’ Doughty said.
‘‘He was going to come over in December, but it would have been too hot and he’s here now and doing a treat.
‘‘He’ll go to the Lightning Handicap next over a 1000 metres at Eagle Farm and the bigger track will suit him nicely.’’
Meanwhile, connections of Let Her Rip have decided against a Brisbane trip for the valuable mare. ‘‘We gave it a lot of thought, but we’ve decided to give her a month to six weeks in the paddock,’’ trainer Shaune Ritchie said. ‘‘If she was going to stud we would have had a crack, but she’ll be racing on for another season so we’ll probably have a look at the Makfi in the spring for her.’’
Let Her Rip won for the fifth time in her 17-start career in the Group III Rotorua Stakes on Sunday.