LASTING PROMISE GETS A WIN ON THE SCOREBOARD

By Graham Potter | Saturday, February 25, 2023

The chestnut gelding Lasting Promise remained very much a work in progress during his relatively brief stay in the Tony and Maddysen Sears stable.

The son of Choisir raced twice as a two-year-old for trainer Joe Pride... both over 1200m ... before moving to the Sears camp, where he would ultimately only have another two starts as a three-year-old before moving on to owner/trainer John Bourke.

Sears had first trialled Lasting Promise back at the start of August 2022. He then made his debut for the stable on September 10, 2022 in which he finished fifth over 1050m before being spelled, returning with a trial in early February 2023.

Then it was back to race action again, more than five months since his first run for the stable, and the patience and the work that the Sears team had put into the horse was duly rewarded when Lasting Promise produced a winning performance when taking out a Maiden Handicap over 1300m at Toowoomba on February 25 in very comfortable fashion.

With the stable stepping up the distance test to 1300m for the first time, Lasting Promise (the $2.30 favourite) seemed to take to his task with relish.

Drawn wide (eight out if nine runners) Lasting Promise had to work early to cross the field and lead, but clearly that was the game-plan with Georgina Cartwright firmly focussed on helping Lasting Promise achieve that outcome ... and, after the field had covered the first 200m they were right where they wanted to be.

Soon, they were not just in front, but two-and-a-half lengths clear of the chasing pack, laying down the law to the chasing opposition.

And they would be left chasing.

When Cartwright gave Lasting Promise a little more rein in the middle of the sweep to the home turn, the leading margin increased to four lengths.

And that was it.

The run home was really an uncontested victory march with the final victory margin coming in at 2.80 lengths.

Alberta The Fox ($5) did best of the rest to claim second spot ahead of a very well strung-out field.

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