John Gray (quartered cap)
Trish Dunell
John Gray is showing no signs of slowing up and the sprightly veteran provided his rider with a victory to savour at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The rising 12-year-old opened his account for the winter with success in the Bidvest 1600 under Samantha Collett, who pipped her mother Trudy Thornton aboard Celebrity Miss in a driving finish.
"It's not often I can outride Mum – I threw everything at the horse," she said.
Trained by Antony Fuller at Tauranga, John Gray was having his third run back from a spell and, after a less than encouraging start to the campaign, he started at odds of 40-1.
"I knew he was well although I have to be honest and say we were expecting better efforts in his first two runs," Fuller said. "Maybe he didn't go as well because he was a bit fat."
John Gray's workload was subsequently stepped up and the senior citizen of the open handicap ranks responded positively.
"He's away now and he will back up in the Cornwall Handicap next weekend, providing everything is okay with him after this race," Fuller said.
John Gray settled in behind the leaders before Collett let him slide forward and challenge soon after straightening.
"He started pulling at the 1000 and he's stronger than me so I let him go," she said.
John Gray was bravest under pressure in the run to the post to keep the Group One performer Celebrity Miss at bay by a short head with a nose back to Seconds Out.
"I thought he had stuck his big head out in time," Collett said.
Our King Sway got home well to cut the favourite Joey Jonz out of fourth money while Spoke To Carlo turned in another disappointing performance to tail the field home. He had also been well below par when unplaced seven days previously at Awapuni. – NZ Racing Desk.
The rising 12-year-old opened his account for the winter with success in the Bidvest 1600 under Samantha Collett, who pipped her mother Trudy Thornton aboard Celebrity Miss in a driving finish.
"It's not often I can outride Mum – I threw everything at the horse," she said.
Trained by Antony Fuller at Tauranga, John Gray was having his third run back from a spell and, after a less than encouraging start to the campaign, he started at odds of 40-1.
"I knew he was well although I have to be honest and say we were expecting better efforts in his first two runs," Fuller said. "Maybe he didn't go as well because he was a bit fat."
John Gray's workload was subsequently stepped up and the senior citizen of the open handicap ranks responded positively.
"He's away now and he will back up in the Cornwall Handicap next weekend, providing everything is okay with him after this race," Fuller said.
John Gray settled in behind the leaders before Collett let him slide forward and challenge soon after straightening.
"He started pulling at the 1000 and he's stronger than me so I let him go," she said.
John Gray was bravest under pressure in the run to the post to keep the Group One performer Celebrity Miss at bay by a short head with a nose back to Seconds Out.
"I thought he had stuck his big head out in time," Collett said.
Our King Sway got home well to cut the favourite Joey Jonz out of fourth money while Spoke To Carlo turned in another disappointing performance to tail the field home. He had also been well below par when unplaced seven days previously at Awapuni. – NZ Racing Desk.