3 minute read

Trainer Stephen Gray could head home early to enjoy his chicken pie after his only Friday runner Bhaskara survived two severe checks to come up trumps in the $65,000 Initiation race over 1200m.

The four-year-old son of Shaft suffered a first squeeze when Troy See’s mount Dragon Fury bumped with him down the back, and was again interfered with at a more crucial stage at the top of the straight when he was dragged out by David Flores’ ride Stick Seeker, who himself was cannoned on by favourite Shanghai Bund (Craig Newitt) who suddenly laid out in search of daylight upon cornering.

Losing his momentum a little, Bhaskara ($16), however, soon steadied himself back on an even keel to attack the line with plenty of resolve, out wide together with Shanghai Bund and race-leader Five Hundred Bucks (Manoel Nunes) who was pulling out plenty on the rails.

A stirring three-way battle ensued and it was only in the concluding stages that Bhaskara stuck his head in front to get even with Shanghai Bund, the perpetrator of the home turn check. Five Hundred Bucks, who flew the lids to take the lead from an outside gate, did well to cling on for third place another length away.

The winning time was 1min 10.75secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.

Gray, who opened his 2015 account last Sunday with a training double courtesy of My Brothers Keeper and Lucky Lion, was tickled pink with his 100% strike rate for the night, but would not head home without recounting the good yarn behind Bhaskara’s maiden win.

“I bought him with Pusaka at the Magic Millions two-year-old sale for a client in Malaysia, but he could not pay for them in the end,” said the Kiwi conditioner.

“I took both of them to New Zealand where they just stayed in a paddock and I had to pay for their grazing.

“There was a bit of a dispute about the non-payment until my good mate Untung Joesoef offered to buy both horses to clear the debt. Untung is already a successful owner in Indonesia where he won two Derbies and told me he wanted to race quality horses here.

“He’s got another two unraced horses with me and they’re already showing some potential. That’s Untung’s first win with us and it's great he's done it with a "reposession"!”

Gray said Bhaskara, which means “sun” in Bahasa Indonesian, did show he was not without qualities last year, but was only worried about his wide gate on Friday.

“He was drawn a bit wide, but he’s a nice horse with a lot of ability and already showed us what he could do last year,” he continued.

“We gave him a freshen-up and he did very well tonight, though he should have won by at least a length more if he was not knocked over at the top of the straight. It was a beautiful ride by Corey.

“My only horse for the night has won, which is great. I'm going home now as Bridget has made chicken pie for tonight’s dinner!”

Brown may not get a chance to taste Mrs Gray’s culinary skills, but he would have been happy with his own slice of the pie of wins at Kranji, as he later went on to score a race-to-race double with Black Fiery (see later report) in the next.

“It was a very good effort from this horse (Bhaskara),” said the Australian hoop.

“He drew an awkward barrier in 11 and actually copped a fair whack twice in the race. Once in the back though it wasn’t Troy’s fault and a second time at the home turn.

“That made him lose his momentum but he still finished off very well. He’s a lovely horse who’s definitely going places.”