BRC JUL 04 - BIG EFFORT FROM MR ARISTOS

By Matthew Grimson | Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Eagle Farm, July 4, 2009.
1MW (last year) Handicap - 1000m. Time: 59.04.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - True.
1 Mr Aristos; 2 Pub Torque; 3 Morning Colours.

The ever-game Mr Aristos gave weight to all of his rivals (between 2kg and 8.5kg) and still gave the field a beating under a solid ride from jockey Jim Byrne.

Shakeva and Pub Torque set a lively gallop up front as Byrne eased Mr Aristos back into the second half of the field after jumping from a wide draw. Turning for home, Mr Aristos was still worse than midfield and slightly cramped for galloping room. By the 250m he was out into the clear and ready to have the last shot at Pub Torque who had gained the ascendency at the head of affairs.

Mr Aristos needed more than raw ability to get there. He needed total commitment and a fighting character to reel in Pub Torque (who, with the rider’s claim, was carrying 8.5kg less than the top weight). He had both of those attributes in abundance and, in a well judged chase to the line, Mr Aristos relegated Pub Torque back into second spot to claim the twelfth win of his carrer.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bill Trimble: “I thought they were trying to kill him. I was just worried that the bloody leader was going to kill him. You know, he (Mr Aristos) was carrying 3kgs heavier than anything else and it was nearly all lead. I carried the saddle down and I could barely carry it down and put it on his back the poor old bugger. What weight does Jimmy (Byrne) ride at, about 52kgs doesn’t he? The horse carried 59.5kg so there was a lot of lead in the bag.

“He’s a bloody good horse. He’s been a good old horse to me, you know. Hopefully there are a few more good runs in the old fella. I’ve had him for about eighteen months now. He won the Doomben Dash for me. I’ll keep racing him. The old bloke loves racing. Oh don’t worry, if I thought the old legs and the old body could stand it I would take him anywhere for anything. I wish I had a few more to replace him. ”

For the record, Mr Aristos pulled up fine after the win. Speaking at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, Trimble said, “I put him in the yard. His two back legs are the only decent ones on his body and when he walked out all legs were pretty even. There he was bucking, jumping and playing around. He’s hardly on the track in-between runs these days. He swims every other day though. He’s fine.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “The horse has been racing in really good form. Full credit has to go to Bill (Trimble). He described the horse to me to a tee. The win is a credit to his training ability and his ability to be able to explain things exactly, because I’ve never ridden the horse before and he explained it to me perfectly. Hence I was able to ride him right.

“One thing Bill did say to me was that the first three to four strides out of the machines he takes a bit to get going. I was basically just sitting on their backs. Bill said that he’s got a good turn of foot but only for about 300m. Basically, from the time I hit the straight I always thought I was going to be right into it. But to the horses credit he really knuckled down the last furlong and attacked the line good.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Mr Aristos): 5.50 out to 6.50.
Favourite (Pub Torque): 5.00 out to 5.50 in to 4.60. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Equates jumped away awkwardly and lost ground. Pub Torque and Morning Colours were slow to begin. Sir Breakfast raced wide throughout.

J. Bowditch, rider of Morning Colours, reported that upon entering the straight he endeavoured to move his horse wider on the track, however due to Borsha’s Warrior being positioned to his outside he was unable to do so and as an alternative followed Mr Aristos forward into the race. J. Bowditch explained that a short distance into the straight Mr Aristos had shifted out presenting a run to its inside, however Morning Colours was hesitant in taking that run. J. Bowditch added that once afforded clear running Morning Colours finished the race off well and added that he had to steady the horse near the finishing line as a result of Mr Aristos shifting in.

Trimble