Pride of Poland leads the way

SO often punters will sigh when their chosen horse takes the lead at the start of a lengthy race.

Shane Arnold rides Pride of Poland to an easy win in race four at Corbould Racecourse yesterday. Picture: John Mccutcheon

SO often punters will sigh when their chosen horse takes the lead at the start of a lengthy race.

Most of the time the pace-setter runs out of puff as the rest of the field gallops past it in the final straight.

But at Corbould Park yesterday, Pride of Poland ($3) was having none of that.

The Caloundra-trained gelding led from start to finish in the Schultz Toomey O’Brien Lawyers Handicap, increasing his lead during the 1800m race.

In the end, jockey Shane Arnold led the six-year-old to a commanding three-length win on the heavy track, ahead of Real World ($15) and Famous Fortune ($3.50).

“I thought he’d really appreciate the 1800m today,” the apprentice hoop said.

“He still over-races a bit in his races and I tried to get him to steady in the middle stages. He came back to me nicely and showed a really nice turn of foot. He really likes the wet track.

“It wasn’t an ideal pace early. I wanted him to come back a length. But in saying that, that’s obviously how he likes to run.

“So I let him free-run and he makes his own luck.”

It has been a successful campaign for Pride of Poland.

In five starts since March 20, the Bill Thorton-trained horse has registered two wins and two third placings, after finishing sixth in its first start after a spell.

Arnold has been on board for its past four races and says he has been impressed by how well it is tracking, especially in the wet.

“Three runs back he ran on a wet track and won and that was only over 1200m,” he said.

“He’s a very versatile horse. You can ride him in different spots and he’s just a real fighter.

“He’s had the blinkers on the last four runs and it’s just turned his career around I think.

“He’s going really good.”

Pride of Poland started its current campaign in an 1100m Class 2 race at Corbould Park, gradually increasing up to 1600m before yesterday.

Arnold said he felt it could challenge over 2000m.

“He fought really well and that’s to the horse’s credit. He’s a real fighter,” he said.

“You can probably get a mile and a quarter out of him (2000m). Today was really tough, 1800 on that wet track is more like 2000m.

“I can see him getting 2000m for sure.”

IN two of the most unlikely stories in Kentucky Derby history, Animal Kingdom won the classic at just his fifth start and Johnny Velazquez finally captured the Run For The Roses.

Originally published as Pride of Poland leads the way