REPEAT After Me got his neck in front of a wall of horses to take out Wednesday night’s opening race at Bathurst Paceway.
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Modern Art gelding Repeat After Me ($4) flew down the outside to get the victory in his first start at Bathurst for trainer Tim Butt and driver Chris Geary.
A line of challengers – Hidden Courage ($6.50), Redbank Addi ($5) and Modern Maestro ($34) – had to settle for second, third and fourth respectively.
Less than a length separated the top four runners.
Geary had spent the race four back on the pegs waiting for a chance to strike.
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On the turn for home he pulled to the extreme outside to make a winning move, coming home in a mile rate of 1:55.5.
“When they’re running in a race like that they’re going to get their chance at some stage. He was just lucky enough to get to the outside at the right time and finish off nicely,” Geary said.
“Since he’s come back in he’s done a really good job without being energetic. He’s just a really nice free for all sort of horse.
“A win like this does his confidence a world of good.”
Smack Dab Shannon got to the front on the opening lap, joined by race favourite Eliza Dushku on the outside.
Redbank Addi sat behind Smack Dab Shannon and Modern Maestro held the one out and one back position.
Lochinver made the first move of the race with a three-wide shift on the final lap, allowing last-placed Hidden Courage to trail up behind.
Repeat after me was sitting alone in last place swinging for home.
Smack Dab Shannon couldn’t maintain the pace inside the final 300m while Eliza Dushku, surprisingly, lost touch with Redbank Addi and Modern Maestro on either side of her.
Hidden Courage drew up alongside the new leading pair but it was from even wider out that the winning move was being made.
In a drive as good as they come Geary had trusted his runner’s turn of foot and was rewarded with a scorching final quarter.
He mowed down the leading trio with a perfectly timed move.
Wednesday night’s racing also featured two heats of the Star Trek Series, taken out by Ominous Warning (Peter Trevor-Jones) and Tintin Naturally (Amanda Turnbull).
Both horses won in identical mile rates of 1:54.8 – equal fastest times of the night.
Ominous Warning dashed clear in the final 200m to claim a 10m win. Tintin Naturally won by a half neck in a thriller over Grosestar and Arcachon.
Call Me Missy justified her heavy favouritism with victory in the $10,000 Rewards Series Final.
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
