Potemkin peaks to go back-to-back in Echuca

Potemkin
Potemkin backed up its debut win in style at Echuca on Thursday, saluting for a second straight time. Picture: Racing.com

POTEMKIN has made it two wins from as many starts at Echuca after the gelding backed up its maiden victory three-weeks-ago in style on Thursday, claiming a benchmark 64 win.

The Michael Moroney-trained three-year-old trailed local hope Make Mine Brandy into the straight, but found an extra gear when required to return +390 at CrownBet.com.au

Make Mine Brandy lost no admirers in defeat, delivering +250 to Sportsbet.com.au customers while Hard Spark battled on well to claim third at a big price of +510 via WilliamHill.com.au.

The locals at Echuca were cheering as Make Mine Brady gave the field the slip at the 400m, but the Moroney runner wore its opponent down and eventually hit the front when it mattered most.

The gelding’s record now reads significantly better following Thursday’s win, which hands the thee-year-old two wins from 10 starts.

Stable representative Greg Hoysted believed the Potemkin stepped up into the class rise brilliantly and improved even further from the maiden win.

“I thought he went very well,” the racing foreman told HorseBetting.com.au at the track.

“The time was 125.5 and when he won last time here they ran 128. He traveled very well into it, and although the leader did give a good kick he put them away pretty well in the finish.”

Make Mine Brandy threatened to derail the back-to-back party for Potemkin, and while the gap was imposing, Hoysted said he was always confident the gelding could draw level and eventually go past the Echuca runner.

“The thing was, he was always traveling,” Hoysted said.

“He was looking alright and always looking like he’d be able to run it down, but the leader probably kicked a bit better than (jockey Patrick Moloney) thought it would.”

Crownbet.com.au welcome package

Potemkin is a horse the stable always had high hopes for, but not everything has always gone according to plan for the son of Testa Rossa.

Described by the Ballymore Stables as “a potential Guineas horse by a stallion for the ages that keeps siring colts that compete at the highest levels”, the gelding took until the ninth time of asking before it broke the maiden tag.

A number of disappointing finishes were littered among its races, but the maiden, then Thursday’s benchmark step up suggests the penny may have dropped for the promising galloper.

Hoysted said the team is not getting too excited however, and will maintain a consistent approach.

“We’re just going to progress him through his grades I reckon.

“It took him a little bit to get to this point, and while today was good we’re not getting too ahead of ourselves.”

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments