Talented Rap Artist scored an impressive win in the Sky Racing 3YO Colts & Geldings Southern Cross heat one (2230m) at Globe Derby Park last Friday night.
Trainer-driver Mark Billinger elected to go forward from gate seven, in the field of seven, to sit parked and score a half head win from the well backed Presidentmach with Futurist 2-1/2 metres away third.
Top South-East three-year-old Jumping Jolt, which had been expected to be a serious challenger finish fourth but pulled up sore and driver Jayson Finnis said he had contemplated pulling the three-year-old up with a lap to go.
However, all honours were with Rap Artist, the $2.50 favourite, which, it could be argued, had a ‘soft’ win with Billinger reining him up to urge a win rather than going flat out.
“It wasn’t ideal to go forward,” Billinger said, “but with the small field I felt it would have been too tough coming from the back of the field if the tempo up front was too slow.
“Sitting parked I was able to part dictate the speed and he was good enough to win.”
Rap Artist continues to build an impressive record with 13 wins from just 17 starts earning $68,000 in stakes.
Dani Hill was aboard Presidentmach which was backed from $3.50 into $2.80, and which led from gate one.
She went 31.6 and 31.4 for the first two quarters before increasing to 29.2 then sprinting up the home straight in 27.9.
Trainer Jon Kingston-Mayne was pleased with Presidentmach’s run.
“He had a tough run on Monday at his first turn for a couple of weeks so to back up tonight and just get beaten was a good effort,” Kingston-Mayne said.
With the decision to go forward with Rap Artist, Finnis was able to take the one-one trail with Jumping Jolt ($3.10), a winner of 11 of his previous 16 starts.
“I wasn’t completely happy with him in the preliminary,” Finnis said, “and once the race started he wasn’t comfortable and I did think about pulling him up.
“But with a lap to go he grabbed the bit, showing he is a real competitor, but on pulling up it was obvious there was something wrong.”
Jumping Jolt was favouring his off side hind leg in the stalls.
Trainer Barry Finnis said the gelding had a hoof issue and had been very sore on Friday and Saturday but treatment had the horse back to normal on Monday and right to continue his campaign towards the Southern Cross.
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