Big smoke lure for winner Harrovian
HE WON the three biggest races in North Queensland last season but champion galloper The Harrovian scored his best result yet at Cannon Park yesterday.
With rejuvenated Townsville hoop Aidan Holt in the saddle, The Harrovian beat the odds to carry an unthinkable 67kg to the winner’s post.
It was a herculean impost and one of the bigger in the bush since the great Mick’s Luck carried 75kg to glory several times in the 1980s.
But it was also a hefty blow for the Stephen Massingham stable, with the champion gelding set for a shift south to compete on the city tracks.
It was a dominant performance from The Harrovian, with Holt warming the gelding up over the first 1000m before hitting the gas in the home straight.
Via Balciano (Stephen Wilson) gave a short fight in the dying stages but could not keep up as the North Queensland Cups champion streaked clear to win her sixth-straight race by 1½ lengths.
“He’s too good for them,” Massingham said.
“He gave them all 12kg – and a galloping lesson.”
Massingham said horse was “a freak”.
“There was blokes going around town telling me he was gonna get beat – this was gonna beat him, that was gonna beat him,” he said.
“Winners are grinners. Good luck to them.”
The plan for the Tom Hedley-owned horse will be a move south, with the horse the set to challenge the best that Brisbane has to offer.
Massingham is certain he will not just be there to make up the numbers.
“I’m sure he will (win a race),” he said. “Horses have gone from here and been competitive. He’s the best horse that’s been in North Queensland for I don’t know how long.”
The Harrovian’s dominant showing was the third of a Massingham trifecta to start the day at Cannon Park yesterday with exciting twoyear-old Endorse doing it easy in the first before Bougatsa pipped a willing Game of Circles in the second.
Chris Whiteley steered home both young gallopers, with Bougatsa fighting off a few checks in the running to win by the barest of margins.
But according to the trainer it could be a few more runs before punters see his best.
“He’s a very immature horse,” Massingham said. “I think he’ll be a nice horse next prep or the prep after. He’s just doing a lot wrong … when he puts it together he might turn out all right.”