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Group winner
Believe'N'Succeed made a triumphant return to the track with a highly
impressive all the way win in the $80,000 Variety the Children's
Charity Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley tonight. The
win was a welcome change of luck for top Flemington horseman Mark
Kavanagh after he was forced to spell stable star Maldivian after he
was struck down with a minor tendon injury. "You have to roll with the punches in this game mate," Kavanagh said after the race. It
was a sense of relief for the Fred Hoysted Medallist winner who was
saddling up Believe'N'Succeed for the first time since last year's Blue
Diamond Stakes when she ran a gallant fourth.  The
filly was having her first run since throat surgery was discovered when
she returned to the stable last year for a spring campaign.
"She's pretty talented," Kavanagh said. "It's hard enough to get a good horse and then to have problems." "But to get her back and have a win after a year off is a pretty big thrill." Kavanagh
was particularly pleased with how the group winner found the line
considering she was pressured for much of the race by Solchow - a
runner who weakened badly in the straight to finish eighth.  "She was feeling it a bit at the end, but she was softened up early too," Kavanagh pointed out.
"It was a pretty good effort and she will improve from that as well," he added. "After a year off you'd think she'd keep on improving now. I was pretty happy with that (win)." Kavanagh has a race picked out for Believe'N'Succeed down the famous Flemington straight for her second up effort. "There's
an 1100 metre three-year-old fillies race on the 7th of March at
Flemington and she should make some good improvement from this race
tonight."  Winning rider Michael Rodd was a little surprised at how the daughter of Exceed and Excel came back under him during the event.
"It was twelve months to the day, well eve, since last year's Blue Diamond when she ran a cracking race," Rodd commented. "She's had a few little problems. She's very one dimensional. She just gets out and runs and she's also very little." "She does it the hard way. What you see is what you get." "Normally
she wants to get out and charge along, but tonight she came back
underneath me for the first time which I was surprised about." "She might be two dimensional now - not just one dimensional."  "I still think there's plenty up her sleeve," Rodd summed up.
At
the post Believe'N'Succeed ($3-$3.70-$3.40 fav) held a short head
margin over the talented South Australian visitor Outlandish Lad
($9-$11). Third home was the big betting ring drifter Zizz ($2.50-$6) another length back. Believe'N'Succeed
is turning out a great money spinner for connections after being
purchased by Kavanagh from the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale at the
Gold Coast for $300,000. Her
earnings from just four starts have shot to $178,500. Her current
residual value is plenty more and her earnings should only increase
over coming starts. PICS - Fiona Tomlin. (file photos)
© Cyberhorse 2009 Greg Irvine Published 20/02/09 |
Cox Plate Day 2008 will go down as the best in history for Mark Kavanagh.
