Portion Control powers home to break losing streak
PROMISING four-year-old Portion Control has broken through for its first victory in 10 months after a well rated ride from Corey Parish.
The gelding was settled just off the speed and unleashed in the straight to salute for the Hayes and Daberning stable and return $9 at Crownbet.com.au.
Portion Control gets to top speed & there's no running him down, @lindsayparkrace on the board, winning R5 @JockeysTrust Plate #GoCaulfield pic.twitter.com/ET0Oqu7UFY
— MelbourneRacingClub (@Caulfield) July 15, 2017
Archie Alexander runner Show A Star pinched a gun run up the rail but failed to hit the front when running second, returning $1.70 at WilliamHill.com.au, while Bling Dyanasty finished strongly to grab third.
Champion jockey Craig Williams said that Bling Dynasty finished off well considering it had a poor run in transit.
“The horse was third up … and had to use a lot of petrol around the bend to get going and just tired late.” Williams said.
Williams believes the horse will strip fitter from the third up run, and also expects the horse to step up in journey following today’s race.
Little gear change the key, as Cory Parish lifts Portion Control to a strong win!
Results: https://t.co/YOIusQmz2T pic.twitter.com/Ow6uYzJob2
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 15, 2017
The win for Portion Control was just the horse’s third win from 18 attempts, but the he has been a model of consistency since May, having not finishing outside the first four across a quartet of runs.
Parish said a slight gear change for the horse helped spur it to victory.
“They changed it up,” Parish said of the Hayes and Daberning team.
“They put the visors on and took the nose-roll off.
“He’s a bit of a horse that likes to look around and I definitely think it helped.”
The jockey said the horse failed to settle to his liking early in the race but found his groove as the race wore on.
“He traveled a little bit keen in the early stages but then I just got him to settle and relax well and … I thought if I can just edge out and keep that momentum I’ll be in with a shot.
“And he finished off well.”
The big disappointment from the race was the performance of key market elect Coldstone.
Young gun jockey Beau Mertens had the ride on the rising star, but said the horse failed to give a kick and now could be headed to the paddock following a long preparation.