A PRE-race eve decision by Taree trainer Ross Stitt to buy four-year-old gelding Blinkin Artie paid off with a win at Manning Valley Race Club’s TAB meeting at Taree on Monday.
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The gelding had been under Stitt’s care for 23 starts and had five wins and seven placings for prizemoney of $100,000 but was owned by his late stable stalwart and friend Errol French who recently passed away after a long illness.
On Sunday night Stitt agreed to buy the galloper after consultation with an estate member.
Just prior to Blinkin Artie racing in the Country Colours Painting And Decorating Open Handicap over 1300m on Monday a storm hit Bushland Drive Racecourse and the good-rated track was downgraded to a soft six.
The conditions enhanced the gelding’s chances and he duly delivered at surprising odds of $6 by a half-length from Gosford gelding Cascata Rossa ($2.20 favourite), trained by Adam Duggan, with 1.25 lengths back to last start Taree winner Bancroft ($2.30), trained by Tony Ball on the track.
Stitt has always had a good opinion of Blinkin Artie and when gallopers owned by French were being sold off by the estate, he made the decision on Sunday night to keep the gelding in the stable after securing another owner.
“The shower of rain helped him win,” Stitt said.
“I bought him off the estate last night and he went around for us.
“He has beaten better horses than that and the drop in weight from last start helped.”
Jockey Matthew McGuren said Blinkin Artie’s third behind Bancroft at its first start back from a spell was good and the rain helped the win.
“Bancroft was always going to lead and my horse had a beautiful run behind.”
Bancroft led up to three lengths for jockey Chad Lever early, fought on well in the straight, but weakened in the last 100m.
Stitt is aiming Blinkin Artie towards the $35,000 Walcha Cup over 1440m on February 8.
Stitt, fresh from a winning double at the club’s last meeting, provided the sole local winner with the other six races being won by provincial trainers, four of them being for Kris Lees from Newcastle. Leading country jockey Andrew Gibbins was on three of his winners, Intrepidus ($1.65 fav.), Great Danger ($3 fav.), Charlie’s Law ($3.40fav.) and Robert Thompson won on Itz Lily ($3.70fav.)
Intrepidus was only having its second start and was in the leading pack all the way to score by 1.5 lengths in the MVRC Conference Packages CG&E Maiden Plate over 1250m.
(Inside Racing column page 18).
