Tony’s Reward timed his run perfectly to take out the Orange Vet Hospital CL3 HCP – Heat of the Rising Star race at Towac Park on Monday.
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The race favourite hauled in Prince Planet, who had burst out of the blocks to lead for the first two thirds of the race before finishing in third, as well as Azcannyaz, who finished second.
Prince Planet had a half a length lead over Azcannyaz for most of race, but both horses could maintain the rage towards the end of the 1280 metre dash.
Jean Van Overmeire was the jockey who saw Tony’s Reward claim his prize, and he said conditions were perfect for the four year old gelding.
“I thought [conditions] would really, really suit her down to the ground, which it did,” he said.
As soon as I got through the gap and hit the open air between those two horses it was just head down and sprinted beautifully.
- Jean Van Overmeire
“As soon as I got through the gap and hit the open air between those two horses it was just head down and sprinted beautifully.”
He said he would be looking for Tony’s Reward to push onward after a run of thirds in July and August.
“I think she can definitely go and do better things than he did here today, go for regionals next time," Van Overmeire said.
Orange trainer Lee van den Bos had Loves A Hassle finishing fifth, while Brian Gentle had three horses in the Rising Star, but all finished in the back five of the field.
Ballarat-based Gentle, who trains in Orange, said conditions didn't suit his charges on Monday.
“I’ve got a few coming up who are trying to get fit but it doesn’t help the track’s not suiting us at the moment,” he said.
“The track’s suiting horses at the top of the speed and our horses sit back so it makes it a bit hard for them to run on and make the ground up.”
Meanwhile, Orokonui made short work of the rest of the field in the fourth race of the day, the The Lion Nathan Class 1 and Maiden Plate.
The New Zealand horse was $1.30 favourite ahead of Decapitor ($5.50) in the 2100 metre race, with the rest of the field going at $15 or more.
The two favourites stuck together in the middle of the pack before commanding the field with 800 metres to go, and after the two got going the one-two finish was never in doubt, with Orokonui finishing three lengths in front of Decapitor.
Orokonui trainer Terry Croft said sitting back was planned.
“He’s more of a chaser, might be he didn’t know where he was out the front there,” he said.
Club Town, who led most of the race, still did enough on the home straight to finish in third.
Max Stainkamph
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
