DRIFFIELD GOLD’S HARD-FOUGHT VICTORY

By Graham Potter | Saturday, May 16, 2009

Driffield Gold and Instructor dominated both the betting boards and the race itself, with the predicted two way contest coming alive with a spirited battle down the home straight in the fourth race at Flemington.

The main fancy Driffield Gold set the tempo and dictated the course of events to suit his own cause. Instructor box-seated and tracked the leader all of the way and was towed into the straight, just two lengths off his main rival. Instructor then shifted off the rail and angled for a run between Driffield Gold and We Wonder. When the gap came, Instructor powered forward and ranged up to join issue with the favourite.

These two runners matched motors, eye-balling each other in a stride for stride battle. Just when it seemed that Instructor was about to worry Driffield Gold out of it, the Robert Snerdon trained runner fought back on the rail and put his nose in front. Instructor, for his part, also wasn’t done yet. Try as he might, Instructor could not get Driffield Gold to relinquish his narrow and hard-earned advantage and that is how they went to the line. Good ride Nicholas Hall.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Robert Smerdon: “He is a bit of a revelation ... forward, back, wet, dry ... it’s all the same to him so he sort of can make his own luck. Pretty much thought the tempo would not be there today. That is why we went forward. In other circumstances, if he gets into a race where there are other leaders or obvious speed, he’ll go back. He’s got that versatility about him. In fact today, there was a pretty strong head wind which was of some concern, yeah, but today’s plan was based on the lack of speed.”

Jockey Nicholas Hall (who now has three wins from three rides on Driffield Gold): “This was the toughest grade so far. He is a free flowing sort of horse. He is able to make his own luck now, run extremely good sectionals and continue to find the line.

“Today he was headed ... he (Instructor) got a good head in front of us, but I was still able to kick back and win - which shows good tenacity from the horse. He is very versatile, which makes my job easy. All credit to the Aquanita team, because they have been able to make the horse this way.”

Smerdon