Gelding triumphs with a final surge
INNISFAIL sprinter Cousin Muscles has defied another slow start to storm to victory in yesterday’s Benchmark 60 Handicap (1400m) at Cluden Park.
The Stephen Potiristrained gelding was four lengths off the pace as they left the barriers, but jockey Stephen Wilson found the perfect run to have him back in contention at the top of the straight.
Wilson brought Cousin Muscles ($7) off the fence and the horse bolted home to beat the David Micallef-trained favourite Academy Hill ($4) by a length with Eucharist ($8) for Jeffrey O’Dea in third.
Cousin Muscles has had a habit of missing the jump this preparation including his previous start at Cluden Park when he ran second, but Potiris said he was much more confident over the 1400m.
“This preparation he’s had a little habit of missing the start. Second-up in Atherton he missed it by about 10 lengths so we had to go back to the trials,” the trainer said.
“We raced here the other day and 1200 was also going to be a little bit of a question mark, especially when he missed the start. Stephen got off the horse and said 1400m, he won’t get beaten at that.
“He missed it a bit, but it was a gem of a ride. He got inside runs everywhere and heeled him out at the top of the straight and it was all over.
“He’s just one of those horses, he needs a few runs to get going and when he hits his form now I think he’ll hold it, especially at this time of the year.”
Wilson rode a winning double as the Roy Chillemitrained Concluder ($2.50 favourite) claimed a breakthrough win in the Open Handicap (1200m) after running in four of his previous five starts.
Jockeys Ric McMahon and David Hayes also rode two winners apiece on yesterday’s seven-race card.
Haynes started the day aboard the well-backed Writtinko ($1.95 favourite) for trainer Terry Butts in the Maiden Handicap (1000m) before piloting the Jared Wehlow-trained Damn Fine ($4) to a narrow win in the Class 2 Handicap (1200m).
Hayes teamed up with trainer Krystle Johnston as Craiglea Harvey ($5) claimed a convincing victory in the Two-Year-Old Maiden (1000m) before rounding out the day with a win on outsider Craiglea Zed ($13) in the Three-Year-Old Maiden (1300m).
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