HE “wasn’t feeling that flash” down the back straight in Sunday’s New South Wales Breeders Challenge Two Year Old Colts and Geldings Regional Final (1,730 metre), but the home straight was a different story for Major Roll.
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It was down the home straight at the Bathurst Paceway that Major Roll got motoring to run down Tretyakov with 40m to go and clinch the Group 3 decider.
A member of Mirrool trainer-driver Stephen Maguire’s team, Major Roll ($5) had spent much of the $30,000 decider at the rear of the field after going from barrier 11.
Ahead of him Blake Fitzpatrick’s $2.50 favourite Leonidas got stuck three wide, while Robbie Morris set the tempo in front with Tretyakov ($17.70).
With 650m to go Major Roll was more than three lengths off the pace and soon after when Maguire came hunting for the lead, the gelding was not travelling the best.
But as Leonidas faded to see Tretyakov pull 1½ lengths clear into the bend, Major Roll was still coming.
He found another gear after turning for home and went on to take the honours by 2.2m in a career best 1:56.6 mile rate.
“He wasn’t feeling that flash,” Maguire admitted.
“It’s nice to come up here and win a race like this, fantastic.
“He’s got a bit of bottom, so we’ll give him a bit of a break now and hopefully he comes back as a nice-three-year-old.”
The victory continued what has been a bright start to Major Roll’s career, the Roll With Joe x Courlivia gelding now boasting five wins and a third from eight starts.
