SIR CARTER PUTS A DESERVED WIN ON THE SCOREBOARD

By Graham Potter | Sunday, July 30, 2023

After strolling home on Highbar in the opening race on the card on July 30, Mark Du Plessis made it a winning double when he saluted aboard Sir Carter just two races later in a QTIS Three-Year-old Maiden Plate over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast.

The chestnut gelding had finished as the runner-up in three of his previous seven starts, including a second place finish over the same track and distance two weeks earlier in his last start leading into this race, and so was arguably ready to win.

The betting indicated Sir Carter had two to beat to get that desired result.

Party Spirit ($2.45) and Polarising ($2.90) held favour in the betting markets ahead of Sir Carter, who was priced at $4, but Du Plessis decided to take the bull by the horns from the break, riding Sir Carter as if he was the best in the race and chasing him up from a wide barrier number nine draw to claim an immediate lead.

Du Plessis simply excels at rating his horses in these circumstances … and he produced another gem of a ride as he stacked up the runners behind him in the sweep to the home turn, unfazed by the line of runners right behind him who were still snapping at Sir Carter’s heels as the field straightened for home.

That’s when Du Plessis gave Sir Carter more rein and the son of Zoustar duly extended on cue, accelerating quickly enough to open up what would now translate into a winning gap on his main rivals, staying strong enough to the line to keep the main fancies Party Spirit (who had the whole length of the straight to run down Sir Carter, but couldn’t do so) and Polarising (who was held up and never got out early enough to have any real say in the outcome) back in second and third place respectively.

A nice ride and a deserved first win on the board for the Peter and will Hulbert trained Sir Carter.

More articles