OUR Minaan romped to victory in Friday’s Amber Lawrence Benchmark 55 Showcase Handicap (1600 metres), revelling in the stormy and wet conditions.
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Third in last week’s Glen Innes Cup, the Paddy Cunningham-trained grey mare gave nothing else a chance when jockey Terry Treichel hit the go button about 500m from home.
The seven-year-old, winner of three of her previous 31 starts, streaked to a 4 1/2 length win from Bonnie Sare with Cool Prince third.
Cunningham said there was no pre-conceived plan to go early approaching the turn after Treichel made a lightning move to set up a winning advantage rounding the turn.
“I just leave it to the jockey,” Cunningham said.
“Her run at Glen was real good but she’s a better miler (than the 1400m of the Glen Cup). And with the sting out of the ground she’s an even better horse.”
He could only shrug about finding a run for her as he celebrated a race to race double with Tan Tat Nova and Our Minaan.
Tan Tat Nova was a good thing beaten at last week’s Glen Innes meeting but bounced back to win the Aleyce Simmonds More than Meets The Eye Maiden Showcase Handicap (1600m) despite copping a couple of hefty bumps from runner-up Dynamic Ahms.
Cunningham is hoping Carry Me Gee, an unlucky second to stablemate Hula Girl, has better luck in Saturday’s Deepwater Cup.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a runner in it, though I did win it as a jockey,” he said.
The former Peter Moody galloper looks to have bigger things in store.