Gaze On over rivals

What Charter Boat? That’s what the connections of Gaze On would have been saying when their gelding charged home to beat race favourite.

Mitchell Wood steers Gaze On to win the Roy Higgins & Wylie Dalziel Racing Handicap over 1600m at Corbould Park. Picture: Warren Lynam

CHARTER Boat? What Charter Boat?

That’s what the connections of Gaze On would have been saying yesterday when their nine-year-old gelding charged home to beat race favourite Charter Boat in the Roy Higgins & Wylie Dalziel Racing Handicap at Corbould Park.

The Chris Jordan-trained horse came from a tight position in the home straight to hold off its rivals in the Class 5 race over 1600m.

Jordan admitted he’d taken advice from the owners to run the Doomben-based gelding on the cushion track.

“He needs a good track and I’ve kept scratching him, scratching him but the owners just said ‘Chris, just take him up there and see how it goes on it’,” he said.

“It’s a good footing and that’s what he needs. He raced last week up here and that track was very sticky and boggy. That’s the difference.”

Gaze On ($6) jumped slowly from the gates as local horse Prince Telesto took to the front, as he usually does.

Prince Telesto led from Charter Boat ($1.70) and the Chris Munce-mounted Superzeel at the halfway mark.

Robert Bradshaw-trained Prince Telesto quickly faded after the home straight with Mitchell Wood left with little chance but to sneak around on Gaze On.

He got a clear run with 300m to go and his mount responded with Gaze On going on to win by two lengths from Charter Boat and Once More Brother ($11).

Apprentice Wood said he couldn’t have asked for more from the old warrior.

“He was probably stuck behind the slower horses in the field but a little run appeared and he half-anticipated it himself,” he said.

“I would have been happier to come around them but he got trucking up there from about the half-mile and put himself in there.

“He got stuck but once he got his clear run and got through he fought off Charter Boat really well and kept going to the line. It was really nice.

“He doesn’t go on a wet track so it was quite surprising to see him go good on the cushion.

“He’s normally a hard track horse and that’s all he goes on.”

Wood said he only received one instruction from Jordan before the race.

“Chris is pretty good, he leaves it up to you.

“All he said was ‘don’t dig him out of the gates because he’ll fire up’,” Wood said.

“He was right. He travelled well and hit the line good. It was a good win.”

Originally published as Gaze On over rivals