MOST DAZZLING RETURNS A WINNER

By Graham Potter | Thursday, March 24, 2022

In its own way, it was a special day when the Tony and Maddysen Sears stable landed a double at Ipswich on March 24.

The double of course was a great result, but the pleasure was enhanced by the fact that Luke Tarrant, who had only recently been welcomed into the Sears stable, rode both of the stable winners.

Tarrant was returning from a long suspension and his reputation carried the burden of his past record which did not endear Tarrant to everybody, but the Sears team looked beyond that, gave the young man his chance, and here he was giving them a return on their investment.

The first winner of the day at Ipswich came in the very first race when Most Dazzling took out a Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap over 800m.

The son of Red Dazzler was only having his second start. After winning a trial he had been thrown in the deep end on debut when going straight to the Listed Dalrello Stakes during last year’s Winter Carnival. He finished unplaced there behind the likes of Miss Hipstar and Stella Magic and was then immediately sent out for a long spell.

So it was that when Most Dazzling resumed at Ipswich, ready to face the starter for the second time, he was coming off no less than a ten-and-a-half month break away from racing action.

Nevertheless, punters weren’t fazed by his lack of experience or possible questionable match fitness. They stuck fast with him to the extent that he remained unchallenged on the betting boards at a starting price of $1.95.

And the betting ultimately proved to be spot on … although it wasn’t always an easy watch.

Tarrant did have to push Most Dazzling out for some way after the start, in the early stages of the 800m rush, in order to stay in touch with the leaders, but things had settled nicely into place approaching the home turn were Tarrant had Most Dazzling in third, going comfortably, getting ready to pounce.

There was still work to do on straightening though, as the $26 chance Graciede was still kicking on for the moment in front and Bold Ransom ($11), who had bumped and inconvenienced Most Dazzling earlier in the running, was also still in front of the Sears trained runner.

When the outsider Graciede weakened as expected, Bold Ransom surged forward with Most Dazzling in tow … and these two runners chased together in close quarters as they took their battle into the final 200m.

Bold Ransom was full of fight and, for a moment it looked like he might just hold the favourite at bay, but Most Dazzling found the extra gear when it mattered most, and Tarrant took him to the line with 0.30 lengths to spare on the game runner-up.

In essence, it was a good, but hard-earned win, made the all the more creditable by the fact that he was resuming from a long layoff, was short on match experience and was giving Bold Ransom 2kg at the weights.

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