RAND JULY 24 - SCOTTISH BORDER PREVAILS IN A BRUISING BATTLE

By Garry Legg | Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Randwick, July 24, 2010.
Track - Heavy. Rail - True.
Benchmark 73 Handicap (Three-year-olds) - 2000m.
Margins: half-head, 3.00. Time: 2:09.35. (Carrying 54kg).
1 Scottish Border ($7.50); 2 Mazzini ($5 equal favourite); 3 Portos ($21).

Win or lose there is nothing better than watching two horses slug it out in a tight finish.

Winner Scottish Border and Mazzini did just that in a stirring fight at the end of their 2000m contest. Both horses were together at the 400m and only a half head margin separated them at the completion of their journey.

Jockey Tim Clark was able to extract something more in the last few bounds to get the vital stride in aboard Scottish Border, who looked to have a size and weight advantage over the gallant Mazzini, who was also hard-ridden to the line by Blake Shinn.

Pressure was on at both ends with Beaveroo pushed along early to take up the running. Scottish Border began well, but Clark stayed out of the speed battle and allowed several runners to press on ahead of him.

Portos and Popnae, who was trapped wide, pushed forward with Portos eventually taking over in front with Popnae sitting second and Beaveroo dropped into the box-seat behind the leader.

The pace quickened at the 800m, so Shinn got busy on Mazzini to bring the Danzero gelding into the race. By the 600m Mazzini was about to make his challenge on the frontrunners and Scottish Border also travelled up nicely to be poised to strike.

Portos held about a length break at the 400m and was still there at the 200m, but the two swoopers, Scottish Border and Mazzini, had the momentum and were going stride for stride with both riders throwing everything at their mounts.

At the 100m Scottish Border probably held a bigger advantage than his final winning margin, but Mazzini just kept fighting and made a late lunge to just go down in the photo.

Portos held on for third, but finished well adrift of the first two place-getters.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Garry Frazer: ‘’Yeh, he goes good. He’ll only get better. He’s a fairly immature horse.

“He’s gonna be a nice horse later on. What he’s doing now is just raw ability.

“I’m sure he’ll run more than 2000m. I think he’ll stay all day the horse.’’

PRICES:
Winner (Scottish Border): 9.00 in to 7.50.
Equal favourite (Mazzini): 5.00. Finished second.
Equal favourite (Warpath): 5.00. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Shortly after the start Antiguan shifted in, taking Buffalo in onto Scottish Border, resulting in Scottish Border and Buffalo becoming unbalanced.

Warpath dipped in the going at the 800m. Beaveroo dipped making the home turn. Buffalo was held up for a run rounding the home turn.

When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Antiguan, N Rawiller stated that the gelding has slow track form, but did not handle today’s heavy going, particularly the going close to the rail, which had been chopped up due to earlier races.

He added that from the 800m he took his mount wider in an endeavour to gain better footing, but Antiguan did not respond to his riding.

Stable representative Mr B Killian stated that Antiguan had pleased the stable going into the race and undertook to report on the future race plans and the results of a full vet check. A post race veterinary examination of Antiguan did not reveal any abnormalities.

A post race veterinary examination of Well Handled did not reveal any abnormalities. Trainer Mr D Payne reported that Well Handled, which raced disappointingly, did not handle the heavy going and it was his intention to spell the gelding.