Risky back in Business

Michael Lee
Sunday, September 13, 2009

Trainer Steven Burridge saddled the quinella in the $75,000 Class 3 race over 1800m on Sunday when Risky Business scored a last-to-first win to defeat stablemate Cristoforo in a muddling-paced affair.

After running the first 800m in a slow 54.3secs, the field of seven runners were so stacked up you could throw a blanket over them for most of the journey.

The issue was still wide open upon straightening as race-leader, $119 rank-outsider Cristoforo (Matthew Kellady) headed for home with all his six rivals jockeying for their runs right on his hammer. Risky Business (Eric Legrix) came off the tail to cut back the lead on his stablemate down the outside, and though Cristoforo hung on for about 200m, he eventually had to settle for second as Risky Business ($22) finished the best of the two to score by half-a-length.

The winner paid $22 while the forecast returned a handy $123.

Risky Business (Eric Legrix) comes out best from a slow-run race.

Last-start winner Rooy (Barend Vorster), probably not suited by the walking pace, stayed on for third, another length away. The winning time was a slow 1min 52.4secs.

“He’s been pretty disappointing of late, but today he was well-weighted to win,” said Burridge who owns the galloper.

“The weakness of the field probably helped too. I’m pretty happy with Cristoforo’s run too, though Matty could have gone a little quicker down the backstraight.

“But all in all it’s a good result. It’s not every day you get a chance to get the forecast.”

Legrix, whose last winning ride came aboard Royal Danske on July 24, was pleased to have ended the lean spell.

“It sure makes a difference when you get on the back of faster ones,” said the Frenchman with a broad grin.

“It’s a horse I know fairly well, having ridden him a number of times (10 from 23 starts). Last time, the pace was too hot and he was caught flat-footed at the 600m when they quickened up.

“Today, he had all the time in the world to travel relaxed at the back. When he found a passage in the home straight, he showed a very nice turn of foot to win from behind.

“I think he’s a horse who’s matured a lot and I expect him to win again.”

Risky Business began his career with a bang when victorious at debut back in 2007. He then charted a honest career winning two more races at Novice and Graduation level.

The rise in class has since been a little steep for the five-year-old gelding by Danehill Dancer, so much so his form started to taper off, though he was never beaten that far off.

Risky Business has now amassed prizemoney close to $250,000 for Burridge.

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Barnabas in red-hot form wins on Happy Everybody

Michael Lee
Sunday, September 13, 2009

Young apprentice Thava Rajan Barnabas continues his rise to the top with a running double at Kranji on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Ipoh-born lad first delivered the goods on Ntini for Michael Freedman in Race 10 before quickly returning to the winner’s stall by punching in another winner in Happy Everybody for trainer Steven Burridge.

“It’s a very good day. I’d like to thank the support I’m getting from more and more trainers nowadays,” said Barnabas.

“Ntini fought very well to score a nice win. As for Happy Everybody, he was very strong throughout and kept kicking in the home straight.

“I hope I will get more and more support as I hope to go for the championship next year.”

Ntini (TR Barnabas) draws clear at the 100m.

However, with 11 winners to his name, Barnabas will claim only 3kg as from next week, but that won’t stop Freedman from calling him up when he needs a bit of weight relief for his better gallopers, like Ntini.

Especially when Freedman knows it will get even harder to find the right races for Ntini after he scored his fifth win in the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race (1200m) at the odds of $22.

“Among the current crop of apprentices here, I wouldn’t so much as say he’s the best, but he’s certainly one of the better ones,” said Burridge.

“He listens and rides to instructions. It was a well-judged win, he didn’t panic in the home straight, and showed a lot of vigour to get home.

Promising apprentice TR Barnabas looks up as he crosses the line first aboard Happy Everybody for a winning double.

One of the positive outcomes of Sunday’s race was obviously Why Be, who was resuming from a 10-month break following a bleeding attack.

Showing the way under apprentice Koh, Why Be did not fold as feared, keeping up a strong gallop, only to concede defeat to Ntini in the last 100m.

There is no doubt the former Singapore Horse of the Year would have derived stacks of benefit from that first run and his fans are already waiting with bated breath for his next outing.

On Happy Everybody ($41), Barnabas again did as he was told – take up the running and make every post a winning one.

Burridge was full of praise for the apprentice but would not deny his galloper his share of the credit either.

“He’s a tough, honest little bugger, who if he’s not taken on, just keeps galloping,” said Burridge who was at the double having scored earlier with Risky Business.

“He just wants to run, but as soon as he is taken on, he will fight on but then he battles.

“I got him from John Sadler, who told me I was going to have a lot of fun with him. He was owned by Lloyd Williams who bought him at the Magic Millions.

“If I had a stable full of horses like him, I'd be laughing!

“The apprentice with his 4kg claim rode him very well.”

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