BINALONG Road looked comfortable in taking out Sunday’s Country Championships qualifier at Tyers Park as favourite, triumphing by four lengths in the $100,000 race.
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One Last Poet ($19.70) joined Binalong Road ($2.20) in booking a spot in the $300,000 Country Championships final at Royal Randwick on April 4 thanks to her second place finish.
Bathurst trainer Peter Stanley suffered heartbreak twice: when King Derota was a late scratching at the barriers and then when Hollywood Nell ($13.80) fell two lengths shy of a Randwick start as she finished third.
Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith teamed up with Hugh Bowman for the victory.
“When the barrier draw came out we were a little bit concerned, but when ‘H Bowman’ was on, the concern left us for a little while.
“As soon as the barriers opened and he got himself one off the fence, it was all over,” he said.
“It was just beautiful. He spent no petrol to get to where he was.
“The position he was in after they’d gone through that first half of the race, they were never going to beat him.
“He’s the best horse in the race. All he needed was that bit of luck and he wins.”
The battle for the lead was hot when the gates flew back, with four horses trying to dictate terms.
Vortuka, One Last Poet, What A Racquet and Hollywood Nell all worked hard out in front and quickly put a break of several lengths back to the rest of the field with their early pace.
Bowman had done a good job to get across from the widest barrier on Binalong Road.
When What A Racquet drifted back through the field over the opening 400 metres, Binalong Road sat fourth on the outside of Hollywood Nell.
Leading pair Vortuka and One Last Poet refused to dial it back out in front and put four lengths on the chasing duo of Binalong Road and Hollywood Nell.
Coming into the home stretch, Vortuka had used up everything, but One Last Poet on the rail refused to bend as Binalong Road started chasing her down the middle of the track.
Over the final 200m it was all over, however, as Binalong Road showed his class to race clear and take his third straight win when racing first-up.
Jockey Bowman confirmed he would be having the ride on Binalong Road once again for the Randwick final.
“It went smoothly. I had an awkward barrier, but as you could see I got a nice run in transit,” he said.
“This horse was prepared very well. He appreciated the 1,400m. He was too good for them.”
Bowman said Binalong Road had had “an interrupted career with injuries and things”.
“But he’s been well managed and he can certainly gallop,” he said.