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Full Toss may have been a recent arrival in trainer Laurie Laxon's yard but it did not stop the gelding from opening his account at his very first start for his new team on Friday night.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
After five runs which yielded a second and two thirds under the care of trainer Stephen Gray, the four-year-old by relatively new sire Coats Choice found the line in the $65,000 Kelantan 2006 Stakes, an Initiation race over 1600m on the Polytrack.
Ridden by Joao Moreira, the $8 favourite sprang out of his barrier No 1 to take up the running, but was soon tackled by a tight pack made up of the Patrick Shaw pair of Prize Fighter (Felix Coetzee) and Positive Thinking (Barend Vorster) while Que Sera Sera (Greg Cheyne) and Newfoundfame (Ivaldo Santana) soon joined in from the 700m to form a line of five abreast.
Full Toss however never relinquished his rails run advantage, kicking clear to open a two-length break. Positive Thinking was the only one from the early chasers to truck up and issue a challenge while the others did not take long to drop off.
But Full Toss never showed any signs of letting-up as he held his ground to cross the line by two lengths from a much improved Positive Thinking with the blinkers. Never Retreat (Oscar Chavez) ran on for third another 1 ¼ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 39.82secs.
“I've only had him for four weeks. He came along with Devonshire (another stable transfer friom Gray) as they are both owned by the same connections who include Jim Bruford, the general manager New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance and Mike Kneebone,” said Laxon.
“The good barrier draw obviously helped and I think he was also having his first start with blinkers (raced in pacifiers at last three runs).
“He didn't pull too hard this time and he did a good job to go all the way. He's a very nice horse.”
Moreira also concurred with the Kiwi conditioner the Hampshire Stable-owned galloper can go on to better things.
“This was just an Initiation race. He's still very green but I think he will go to higher class,” said the Brazilian who was at his 94th success this season.
“I thought he would be behind the leaders, but the pace was not quick and as he began so well, he was able to go to the front and travelled on the bit throughout.
“The blinkers definitely switched him on and he was more concentrated this time. In the home straight, he gave a very strong kick and won well.”