CHERRY Sweet Peach is a mare who has at times been guilty of switching off when leading races, but on Friday night at the Bathurst Paceway she was rewarded for maintaining her effort from start to finish.
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It was exactly what Young trainer-driver Nathan Hoy knew she needed to do to take out the Jenolan Holiday Park Pace (1,730 metres).
Hoy knew from her barrier one draw Cherry Sweet Peach ($2.30 favourite) could use her gate speed to take the lead – and she did just that.
But he also knew that Steve Turnbull’s Little Bit Dusty was a very real threat and would find the line well, so his five-year-old had to match that effort.
Cherry Sweet Peach led into the straight and while Little Bit Dusty ($4.90) did make up ground, Hoy’s mare held on.
Her effort showed as she clocked a handy split of 28.3 seconds for the run home.
She won by 2½m over Little Bit Dusty in a career best 1:55.1 mile rate, with Ruth Shannon ($55.80) 6½m further back in third.
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It was Cherry Sweet Peach’s fourth win of a busy 16-start campaign so far this season.
“She’s a bit funny in front, she can switch off,” Hoy admitted.
“Steve’s horse runs all the way to the line, so you know you’ve got to run all the way to the line.”
It was a different story from the Always A Virgin x Cherry Dale mare’s last run at Bathurst when she led on the bell but ended up finishing seventh.
She had also led in the Junee Cup on December 12, but was run down in the home straight and had to settle for second.
