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The winning post arrived on time for odds-on favourite Quality Stars who
scraped home by a neck in the $65,000 Initiation race over 1200m on
Polytrack on Sunday.
The Steven Burridge-trained galloper looked home and hosed
for jockey Vlad Duric when he kicked clear at the 200m, but debutant Golden Beach (Mark
Ewe) was closing in with every stride on his outside.
The Tan Hor Khoon-trained newcomer lunged at the post but
the $6 hotppot was able to post a narrow victory, much to his numerous
backer¡¯s relief. A three-length gap away in third was New Friends (John
Powell) while big bobber ($760) Switch Doublemisty (S
Anandan) held on well after electing for frontrunning tactics
for the first time.
The winning time was 1min 12.13secs.
Quality Stars (inside) and Vlad
Duric hold off a determined challenge of Golden
Beach (Mark Ewe) to win Race 4 on Sunday.
Quality Stars showed early signs of potential at debut on
July 3 when he ran second to Ice Age for jockey Glen Boss, and has since
been trialling a treat, running second once and scoring a nose win last
Tuesday.
Burridge said he had his heart in his mouth when Tan¡¯s horse
came charging home but his horse¡¯s courage saved the day for him and
the Raffles Racing Stable.
¡°He¡¯s been working very well and I was expecting a good run
today,¡± said Burridge.
¡°He¡¯s no superstar but I think he can win his fair share of
races here. It¡¯s good for the owners who also have Mr Raffles with me.¡±
Duric said the workload that had been piled onto the Elusive
Quality four-year-old has paid handsome dividends.
¡°He looked like he was going to win easily. They went pretty
hard in front and I think that¡¯s why his condition gave out in the end,¡±
said Duric.
¡°But he¡¯s a tough bugger and all credit to Steve and his
team for turning this horse out in great shape.
¡°They¡¯ve given him a lot of work and that probably helped
him today.¡±
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