Tobias takes The New Paper Trophy from the front

Craig Brennan
Friday, July 23, 2010

Jockey Ronnie Stewart was seen at his front running best in guiding Tobias to an all-the-way victory in the $75,000 The New Paper Trophy over 1400m on Friday night.

Stewart jumped Tobias quickly from the barriers and had the gelding on the fence after 200m, dictating terms over Dabble (John Powell) and Astra Torres (Mohd Zaki).

Tobias was able to get his own way in front before Stewart upped the tempo on the hometurn where he opened up a winning break.

Tobias (Ronnie Stewart) scores an all-the-way win in The New Paper Trophy.

Holding fast to the line, Tobias scored by a length over Dabble with Newfoundluck (Mark Ewe) a neck away third.

Stewart said the plan was to make use of the gelding’s light weight and make the others work.

“He’s a good genuine horse and if he can get that sort of run in front then he’s always hard to run down,” said Stewart.

“There didn’t look a lot of speed in the race so (trainer) Steven (Burridge) said to just let him roll, not too quickly but not to slow either.

“He said to give him a kick on the turn. He doesn’t have a great turn of foot but if he could put a length on them he could be hard to chase down.

“He showed a lot of fight up the straight and it was good to see the old boy back in winning form.”

Burridge said it was 574 days since Tobias was last successful with Michael Cahill in the saddle on the Polytrack.

“I didn’t realise it was that long,” said Burridge. “He’s such an honest old horse who always gives his best.

The winning team: Owner Rita Nicholas, Steven Burridge and Ronnie Stewart.

“I had thoughts of running him next week, but he would have got 57kg, so I thought I would run him in this with the 51kg.

“I said to Ronnie to go forward and lead if you want but if something else wants to lead then to take a sit.

“On weights I thought he came into the race quite well and the ‘E’ course also suited him.

“My one concern before the race was that I would have preferred a wet track, but he’s honest and is just a length or two off having a better record.”

The win by Tobias ended a frustrating run of second placings for both Burridge and Stewart.

Burridge had to go back to the win of Bionic Boy on July 2 to find his last winner, although there had been a number of placings in the three week period.

The win edged Burridge ever closer to the 50 win mark for the season. He now sits on 47, just four winners short of the 51 winners he trained in 2008.

For Stewart the victory made amends for his two earlier second placings – aboard Bert and Kirin Arising – after looking winning chances in the run.

Tobias, a New Zealand-bred six-year-old by Germano from the Crested Wave mare Vienna Belle, has now won four of his 32 starts with a further 10 placings, taking his prizemoney to around the $250,000 for the Tobias Stable.

Burridge finished the night with a double when Dynamic Dan, ridden by Sean Cormack, took out the final event on the programme, the $55,000 Class 4 Stakes over 1400m.

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Seize The Day overcomes early scare

Craig Brennan
Sunday, July 25, 2010

Trainer Steven Burridge edged his way ever closer to the magical 50 winners for the season when Seize The Day took the $65,000 Restricted Maiden over 1400m on Sunday.

Following a double on Friday night and his early winner on Sunday, Burridge has now prepared 49 winners for the season, leading six-time champion trainer Laurie Laxon by nine winners.

Ridden by Ronnie Stewart, Seize The Day steamed down the middle of the track to score by a widening length-and-a-quarter over Grovene Lad (Danny Beasley) with Jeremy (Saimee Jumaat) a nose away third.

Seize The Day (Ronnie Stewart) runs on strongly to land the spoils in Race 2.

But Burridge can thank the recuperative powers of Seize The Day for his success and providing the owners – Dart Stable – with their first ever victory.

“When I got to the stable at 5am this morning, he was as lame as a cat,” said Burridge.

“He pulled off a shoe overnight and stood on the clip. He could hardly put his foot on the ground.

“I got him down to the vets who gave me the time to work on him and try and get him right.

“We had him replated, put his foot in a decron boot and applied ice for about four hours and luckily he came good.

“But you wouldn’t believe it, he got down to the holding stalls and pulled the shoe off again, but luckily this time he didn’t stand on the clip.

“It was touch and go there for a while, but he’s done the job and provided the owners with their first ever winner.”

Seize The Day was lining-up for his fourth start on Sunday, coming off a last start third, beaten four-and-a-half lengths behind Gingerbread Man back on June 25.

Burridge said he could have run the gelding in the Magic Millions Juvenile Challenge later in the day but decided on the easier option.

“The Magic Millions was an option for him but we thought this was a better race for him,” said Burridge.

“He’s still growing and a little on the immature side, so I thought going for the easier option made sense and the extra ground was also a bonus.

“Plus it gives the owners some confidence in knowing they have a win under their belt.”

Seize The Day, a two-year-old by Happy Giggle from the Integra mare Freaky Fran, was an A$130,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Ready To Run Sale and following his success on Sunday has now returned the Dart Stable around $45,000 in prizemoney.

HOOFNOTE: Burridge racked up his 50th winner for the season when Esteem Power scored in the final event of the day, the $75,000 Class 3 Stakes over 1400m.

Ridden by John Sundradas, Esteem Power scored by a nose over Ten Ten Lai (Mark Ewe) with Excuse My French (John Powell) a length-and-a-quarter away third.

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