IT wasn't fast, but Tulhurst Writer's effort in posting an all the way win over the 2,260 metres trip at the Bathurst Paceway on Wednesday night was most certainly tough.
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The six-year-old gelding from Nathan Hurst's Eglinton stable is much more suited to the shorter 1,730m trip on his home track, yet when tried over the longer trip Tulhurst Writer led from start to finish.
He did it while facing a breeze and even though he looked like giving up front spot more than once as he raced down the home straight, Tulhurst Writer held on to win over the distance for the first time in his 62-start career.
"I was a little worried at the top of the straight, but he kept trying, he kept plugging away and he managed to hold them off," Hurst, who was also in the gig, said.
"He doesn't race over this distance a lot, it's pretty hard, for that sort of grade of horse it's pretty hard going, especially when there was a bit of wind like tonight. So I was real happy with the way he went."
Chasing his first win since September 2021 with the gelding, Hurst's aim was to use Tulhurst Writer's gate speed to try and cross from barrier three then set his own tempo in front.
He felt that would be the best chance for the Sportswriter x Tulhurst gelding to go better than his third placing at Bathurst a week earlier.
"We knew if we could get to the front it would help our cause, so I was lucky to get there," Hurst said.
"He did plenty of work out of the gate last week and still managed to finish it off, so I was real happy with the way he went then - Tom Pay drove him - and tonight he just went really good."
Hurst got the lead he wanted, $2.40 favourite Manhattan Island unable to stop him from crossing, then set a steady pace with a 62.5 seconds first half.
At the 500m Tulhurst Writer managed to increase his lead from a head over the horse that beat him the previous week - Limbo Larry - and as he turned for home the $8 chance led by a length.
Limbo Larry came back at him, Manhattan Island challenged down the sprint lane, then eventual runner-up Cullens Major lunged late down the inside, but Tulhurst Writer held on to win by a neck in a 2:01.0 mile rate.
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