BESTIE CONTINUES HIS CONSISTENT RUN OF RESULTS

By Graham Potter | Saturday, December 4, 2021

While the run of Piracy in the Country Stampede Final at Doomben held the main focus for the Sears Training Partnership on December 4 … the gelding ultimately finished fourth just 1.60 lengths behind the winner V J Day … training winners remains the overall focal point of any training establishment and the Sears camp added another notch on that belt when Bestie saluted in a Class 4 Handicap over 1000m at Toowoomba.

The Spirit Of Boom gelding came into the race first-up, five months after signing off his previous preparation with a win at Dalby in a Class 5 contest back on June 11.

Starting as second favourite at $3.50, Bestie had to be pushed out early by apprentice Isabella Rabjones to hold the rail position in fourth spot early, some three lengths off the free-running Charlie Sphene who had speared to a clear early lead.

Rabjones continued to save ground along the rail and Bestie moved to within two lengths of Charlie Sphene approaching the home turn and, when Charlie Sphene shifted left the inside run open for Bestie on straightening, the Sears runner had a clear run home to take advantage of if good enough.

With the balance of the field struggling to make up ground from behind, it became a race in two down the home straight and fir most of the time it looked like Charlie Sphene was doing enough as he kept holding Bestie at bay … until … when it mattered most, Rabjones urged that vital extra effort out of Bestie who gathered Charlie Sphene in inside the final 50m to win going away by 0.50 lengths.

The commitment shown by Bestie in the chase and the drive home displayed the kind of real fighting qualities which are an advantage to any horse racing at any level.

This was the lightly raced five-year-old’s fifth win from seventeen starts, with the gelding’s consistency also being highlighted by the fact that he had a further eight minor placings to his credit.