Distinctive Look & Galaxy Warrior head to Country Championship
THE David Smith-trained Distinctive Look proved too classy for his opponents on Sunday when taking out the Central Districts Country Championships qualifier at Wellington over the 1400m trip.
Ridden by Koby Jennings, the four-year-old gelding had to lump 59 kilograms and sat midfield in the early stages.
Around the home turn Jennings pulled the bay gelding to the outside of the pack, storming down the centre of the track to score by 0.4 lengths ahead of Galaxy Warrior and Jar Of Hearts.
The triumph has booked the son of Lookin at Lucky and Beautiful Gem a spot in the $400,000 feature set to be run at Royal Randwick on April 1.
Jennings was full of praise for Distinctive Look post-race, saying the horse responded well and didn’t put a foot out of line.
“He felt fantastic,” Jennings said.
“He did everything that I told him to do – if you tell him to come back, he’ll come back, if you tell him to improve he’ll do it, just like that.”
The win took Distinctive Look’s career record to seven wins and three minor placings from 15 starts, with his prize money earnings now in excess of $290,000.
Also booking a spot in the grand final on the first day of the Championships was second place getter Galaxy Warrior for trainer Gayna Williams.
Ridden by Allan Chau, the five-year-old wasn’t able to get much striding room until late in the race, but quickly mustered pace once in the clear.
“He is a free-rolling type of horse, even going past the 600m I was in a bit of bother because I knew I had to get out and get going but there wasn’t any chance for me to get out,” Chau said post-race.
Chau said he expects Galaxy Warrior to improve heading into the final at a more suitable track.
“He gets back to a bigger track [at Randwick] which suits because he is a real big horse.
“As soon as you get him back to a bigger track you can ride him where he is more comfortable and he shows a bigger turn of foot.”
The next qualifier for the Country Championships will be held on Sunday March 19 at Albury, with the final heat at Muswellbrook on March 26 giving horses which have already contested an earlier heat one more chance to qualify for the lucrative final.