It’sourtime digs deep for tough win in Group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington

Flemington specialist It’sourtime prevailed in a tight five-way finish to score another Group 3 win down the straight.

It'sourtime responds to the urgings of Billy Egan to win the Standish Handicap at Flemington. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Conditions ensured the toughest prevailed in the Group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington.

Heat and humidity combined to make the last 200m of the $200,000 contest a difficult examination of horse and rider.

A length covered the first five runners home but noted straight track performer It’sourtime got his head down on the line to equal his career-best performance.

It’sourtime won the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap in 2023 before matching that effort with another Group 3 success for the Danny O’Brien stable.

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Winning rider Billy Egan said It’sourtime had an easy run before the intensity lifted when he asked the gelding to reel in the resuming leader Joyful Fortune in the last 200m

As soon as It’sourtime got his head front, Egan felt another challenger, WA galloper Aztec Ruler, emerge in the last 50m but the seven-year-old held firm to score by a half head.

“I was half frustrated getting to the line because he gave me such a good ride,” Egan said.

“He went to Harry’s horse (Joyful Fortune) like a winner and in the last couple of metres, the horse coming on my outside started to worry him out of it.

“I thought, ‘come on you bastard, there’s like 20m to go, dig deep for me’.

“I had to ask a lot of him but he responded enough for us.

“You have got to throw everything at him but he got over the line.

“It was in my hands so I’m glad I didn’t screw it up.”

It'sourtime digs deep and takes out the Group 3 Standish Handicap 🏅@[e-mail]/zGw3i9UkzX

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It’sourtime went down narrowly in the 2022 Standish Handicap but the hardy galloper returned three years later to give O’Brien his fourth win in the traditional summer feature.

O’Brien first won the race with Blessum in 2004 but It’sourtime also earned a guaranteed start in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap back at Flemington in March.

O’Brien’s representative James Hicks said It’sourtime’s consistency and durability stemmed from the use of the stable’s Barwon Heads facility.

“The team down at Barwon (Heads) has done a great job with him. They kept him ticking over and “he doesn’t have to do much work because he’s rock hard fit,” Hicks said.

He goes out in the paddock during the day and enjoys just being a horse.

“He’s a pretty easy horse to train and to deal with and the team has done a great job with him.”

Originally published as It’sourtime digs deep for tough win in Group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington