NORTHERN DECREE - A DIFFRENT HORSE WHEN RIDDEN 'CUDDLED UP' AND BACK WITH COVER

By Graham Potter | Saturday, May 4, 2024

Two wins from his last three starts suggests a marked improvement on the part of the four-year-old gelding Northern Decree, who suddenly seems a progressive type, but trainer Robert Heathcote has a different view on his latest winner after Northern Decree had saluting on the opening day of Stradbroke Season at Eagle Farm on Saturday, May 4.

“It’s really a perfect example of how horses can be ridden the wrong way,” explained Heathcote.

“If you looked at his form four or five runs ago, you would have thought he is a pretty ordinary horse.

"He wasn’t.

“He was consistently ridden ... I wouldn’t say poorly ... but upside down, contrary to instructions.

"When I wanted him cuddled up the jockey took him forward ... into a lead, and when he stopped and finished last, people said, oh he is no good. Things like that.

“In his last three starts, we changed that. We’ve ridden him back with cover and he has run four cracking races in a row ... including two wins!

“You could just see in the straight that he was going to beat them on Saturday. He wanted to win, and he did that going away.”

The win was even more impressive given the passage that Northern Decree followed in the race.

While he was aided by the slow pace after being slow away, he still had it all to do on when the field turned into the home straight.

In the first instance, Northern Decree had to find the acceleration to carry himself up into contention. He did that, taking the shortest way home, but he then had to be brave when lining up a gap on the rail inside the long-time leader Torovista ... the two horses actually brushed a couple of times.

Once he had breached that gap and hit the lead, Northern Decree had to stay strong to the line to keep Rising Pacific and Tenzing, who were challenging strongly down the centre of the track, at bay.

Credit too must go to Robbie Dolan for a winning ride which was as brave and determined as Northern Decree’s effort.

“We are going to give him a break now due to timing. It that time of year when all the good horses come up here from down south,” continued Heathcote.

“I’m not saying he is not going to become a good horse, but he has earned a bit of a break now, and that is what we will give him ... and hopefully he can come back and win more races.”

More articles