Alabar Breeders Challenge 4YO Entires and Geldings Winner: Let It Ride Photo by Ashlea Brennan Photography
PATIENCE paid off for one of Australasia’s most accomplished reinsmen at Menangle today when four-year-old gelding Let It Ride staked his claim as one of the best four-year-olds in the country.
Anthony Butt decided to take no part in a desperate early battle for the lead between San Domino, Pretty Hot and the well-backed Atomic Red in the opening stanza of the NSW Breeders Challenge final for four-year-old entires and geldings.
In one of the quickest opening halves ever recorded at Menangle (53.2s) consisting of splits of 26.5 and 26.7, there was literally no quarter asked for or given as Atomic Red eventually worked his way to the front.
Sadly for the Turnbull stable that left him a sitting shot for something coming from back in the field and that happened to be Let It Ride, who came with a swooping run to score running away in a slashing 1:49.4 with a closing split of 27.7s.
That was almost a second faster than Cruz Bromac had gone earlier in the afternoon in winning the Len Smith Mile.
If the Butt brothers, trainer Tim and reinsman Anthony were disappointed with the run of My Field Marshal in finishing second in the Len Smith, that was soon forgotten as Let It Ride thrust his name up alongside Jilliby Kungfu as one of the best four-year-olds in this part of the world.
Let It Ride scored by six and three-quarter metres from Conviction with Joes Star Of Mia third and Jilliby Bandit close behind them in fourth position.
“You never get tired of winning Group One races like this,” said Tim Butt, who has one of the best records in big races in this part of the world.
“Every big race brings a different set of challenges, usually a different set of owners and every horse is different.
“This bloke is pretty talented and to win this Group One was a great achievement for this horse. He could not have gone any better today.”
