In-form sprinter Blaze A Trial follows up last week’s Doomben win with success at Eagle Farm
Blaze A Trial is thriving in the Queensland sun this winter and made it back-to-back wins at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Group 1-winning jockey Ryan Maloney had to do it the hard way seven days earlier on Blaze A Trail, but the win was a much more simple affair at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
At Doomben the previous Saturday, the Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace-trained sprinter was stuck out in the cheap seats after being slow away and caught wide.
He still got the job done but the question mark backing up into Saturday’s $85,000 Open Handicap (1400m) was whether the tough recent run had chewed up too many petrol tickets.
Punters didn’t think it had as they strongly backed Blaze A Trail in from $2.30 to start $1.90 favourite.
His main danger according to punters was the Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted-trained sprinter Fleetwood Maca ($3.60) but she dropped off the pace in the straight and allowed Maloney to pounce at the right time on Blaze A Trail.
Blaze A Trail too good for his rivals 👌 @cmaherracingpic.twitter.com/1mvjTGwX6b
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) July 15, 2023
The Ritz ($12) and Fast Talking ($31) ran on to fill the placings but this was a one-act affair and the punters who had stormed into Blaze A Trail were always on good terms with themselves.
Young Sunshine Coast trainer James Healy has been entrusted by Maher and Eustace to look after Blaze A Trail in recent times and his advice to back up the five-year-old was rewarded in fine fashion.
“This just adds another feather to his cap, this horse has never backed up in his career before,” Healy said.
“He has backed up today and he has smashed them.
“We had to go to Plan B the other day, but today he just lobbed in a perfect spot and he was then always going to be hard to beat.
“Ciaron and Dave have trusted my judgment with allowing this horse to back-up, so I’m very happy with the result.”
Maloney said he never had any doubt Blaze A Trail, who was unlucky in the Eye Liner at Ipswich last month, would back up successfully from the moment he saw him in the parade yard at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Mishani Spartan drives home late! 👠pic.twitter.com/NmRl1NQ0ol
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) July 15, 2023
â– Trainer Les Ross and larrikin owner Mike Crooks are best known for their two-year-old horses with “Mishani” monikers, but three-year-old Mishani Spartan got under the guard of punters at Eagle Farm.
There was a whiff of betting support for the gelding who was $31 into $21 in the QTIS 3YO Handicap (1805m) despite having recent form you couldn’t recommend.
Mishani Spartan had been beaten a total of 22 lengths at his last three starts but made the most of off-season racing to score a surprise win under Boris Thornton.
Ross joked there was a time Mishani Spartan wouldn’t have beaten a maiden horse but he did the business when it mattered in the $85,000 race on Saturday.
Stewards quizzed Ross about Mishani Spartan’s improved performance and he reported the gelding had appreciated the slow tempo of Saturday’s race.
Originally published as In-form sprinter Blaze A Trial follows up last week’s Doomben win with success at Eagle Farm
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