Winning Horse: He's The Real Deel (Aus)

5yoG Dundeel (NZ) - Gentle Woman (Aus)(Starcraft (NZ))

19 starts - 4 wins 3 seconds 2 fourths $92520

Other Wins

1st Kilmore Bet365 Odds Protector (Bm58) 2012m (2021)

1st Hamilton Bet365 (Bm58) 1400m (2020)

1st Geelong Quinlan Cranes Mdn Plate 1300m (2020)

Other Placings

2nd Sale Carlton Dry (Bm64) 1728m (2021)

2nd Moe Monacellars Yarragon Cup Mdn 1200m (2020)

2nd Moe Bidfood Mdn Plate 1208m (2019)

Race Result:

1st: He’s The Real Deel (B Higgins/M Brown) - $19

2nd: Wish I Might (M Julius/D Bowman) - $19
3rd: Moor Wanted (D Lane/P Chow) - $10

Winning Time: 1:20.69 Last 600m: n/a

Margins: 2-3/4L x Long Neck

Winning Trainer: Matthew Brown

Pre race confidence: “I was just saying to everybody I haven’t come to the races this confident in a long, long time with this horse. I’ve been tipping him to everyone over the last week or so. He has come back an absolute different horse. His trial was outstanding the other week on a bottomless track at Cranbourne, his gallop at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning was exceptional. Pretty much gave Higgo (Brian Higgins) no instructions, just ride him like the best horse in the race because we were pretty confident.”

Issues after Caulfield run last prep: “He pulled up horrible from that run at Caulfield. He jarred up really bad and it took a long time to get him right. We gave him a couple of weeks in the paddock with it. He continues to grow and strengthen. He is probably his own worst enemy because he just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He has always shown us really good ability, it’s just been really hard to get it out of him. It’s very pleasing to see him do that.”

Thoughts on optimum trip: “We tested him right out over a trip. He probably got away with it over 2000m in 58 grade just because he was too good for them. Probably a mile to 1800m is probably his go. We’ll just see how he comes through it and worry about it from there.”

Hasn’t quite lived up to his name: “We put that name forward early on because we thought he might of been. Then he let us down for a little while. He showed it today and it was good for Higgo, he does a lot of work for the stable and it was good to reward him with a winner in town.”

Winning Jockey: Brian Higgins

No instructions: “You’ve just got to ride him, to suit him. He’s a bit of a quirky horse. He likes to do his own thing and ridden like that it pays dividends because he gives you everything he’s got.”

Up on speed and wide: “I didn’t panic. I felt it was late in the day, the inside was chopping out a little bit. I thought I was comfortable where I was and I was happy to ride him and not the race. The team has done a really good job with him. He’s a bit tricky, a bit of a handful. Matt’s partner Louie, she does most of the work with him, he’s her love child but he drives us all up the wall, so hats off to her. He’s been well placed by Matt. The team is going good. All three runners have run well today. It’s good to see as we’re all working hard.”

Stick with him: “A do a lot of riding for the Browns. Just with claims and things haven’t worked out that I haven’t been able to get on his back that much, but I’ve got a good knack of getting on them at the right time.”