Mr Raffles makes it two in a row

Craig Brennan
Sunday, August 22, 2010

Doubles and trebles abounded following the victory of Mr Raffles in the $75,000 Class 3 Stakes over 1400m on Sunday.

Two wins for the afternoon were racked up by jockey Vlad Duric and Raffles Racing, while trainer Steven Burridge knocked in a winning treble.

Duric and Raffles Racing combined earlier in the day with Urban Dancer in the $65,000 Initiation Stakes over 1400m while Burridge’s double come in two Class 5 events. See earlier story.

Mr Raffles (Vlad Duric) makes it two in a row with victory on Sunday.

After racing on the speed, Duric guided Mr Raffles to back-to-back victories by a length-and-a-quarter over Zac Missile (Danny Beasley) with Volpista (Barend Vorster) the same margin away third.

Burridge said he would like to keep Mr Raffles ticking over for the present but would be guided by what rating the handicappers give him.

“I think the more racing he has at this stage the better it will be for him,” said Burridge. “He’s just like a big kid at the moment and is still learning what racing is all about.”

After scoring earlier in the day aboard Urban Dancer, Duric was delighted to make it a winning double.

“Hopefully the double has turned it around for me,” said Duric. “I don’t think I was riding that badly, it was just my luck was out.”

Duric said Mr Raffles was still a work in progress as the gelding still raced a little greenly in the run.

“He’s got a good turn of foot but he was still pretty green out there today,” said Duric.

“He just carries his head a little too high for my liking at the moment. We are trying to get him to settle but he’s racing well and making steady progress.

“He gets a strong 1400m at the moment and I’m sure he’s going to get a mile in time and maybe even a little further.”

Mr Raffles put the writing on the wall with a good second in a barrier trial over 1000m on Tuesday behind Better Than Ever and followed it up with an impressive victory on Sunday.

A five-year-old by Storm Creek from the Foxbay mare Force Fillee, Mr Raffles has now two wins and a second in three starts since his arrival from New Zealand.