Mertens leaves it late on Leodoro
MICHAEL Kent-trained five-year-old Leodoro has given the trainer and jockey Beau Mertens a double at Caulfield after sprouting wings late to take out the Ladbrokes Benchmark 84.
The gelding was one of the fancied runners of the day but drifted before the jump to return $6.90 at Crownbet.com.au.
Mertens positioned the horse towards the tail end of the field and produced it at the vital stage to tip out long-time leader Wind Force ($3.50 at WilliamHill.com.au) in the shadows of the post.
Leodoro unleashes a barnstorming finish to swamp his rivals. #MetroPrem leader @beau_mertens in the saddle. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/R6eGS0qKD9
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 1, 2017
Portman plugged on well to round out the placings and deliver $2.90 for Sportsbet.com.au punters.
Leodoro jumped from gate 11, which led to the drift in the market, and Merten’s admitted he required some luck from the wide alley to get the win.
“We were a bit funny with him with what we were going to do from the gate,” Mertens said.
“It was always going to be tricky (but) to his credit he’s done a really good job here and he had to really dig deep to finish off the way he did.”
The win was vital for Mertens as it moved him one clear of veteran jockey Craig Williams in the Victorian Jockey’s Premiership.
Beau’s back! A double propels @beau_mertens back into the lead in this intriguing #MetroPrem battle. Can @CWilliamsJockey answer? pic.twitter.com/D7BTMAxEqc
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 1, 2017
The in-form hoop said he always had confidence the horse could run down its rivals if he could produce him to the outside at the right time.
“Yeah exactly,” Mertens said when asked if getting the horse to the outside was in the plan.
“It’s a big thrill to get the win on him.”
The win was Leodoro’s first victory since March of this year, but the horse’s trainer Michael Kent said the gelding was unlucky not to have registered more wins along the way.
Kent said the tactics were important in securing the win.
“I just said to Beau ‘you’ve just got to ride him back and go around them’… and I was very happy to be out in the middle (of the track),” Kent said.
“But the horse has been flying, I think he’s had 11 runs this prep. He’s just had a great prep and the only times he’s missed a place is through an error or bad luck.
“It’s really pleasing to see him win.”