3 minute read
Hot favourite Lim’s Ray gave his backers a fright on Friday night when he looked to be making heavy weather of it at the 300m, but under Benny Woodworth’s unyielding urgings, he stuck to his task to land the spoils by a safe margin in the end.
Even his journey to the wire in the $20,000 Open Maiden-1 race over 1200m was not without anxious moments. With only one third in five previous starts, the Drumbeats four-year-old had not set the world alight, but did show a preference for waiting tactics.
With the pace only moderate, the grey gelding, however, found himself closer to the lead this time, but caught three wide with no cover about half-a-length off race-leader Nova Factor (Daniel Moor).
It was not the script Woodworth or trainer Steven Burridge would have hoped for, especially as he seemed to be laying in as well, while the Bruce Marsh-trained Nova Factor was showing no signs of weary legs.
At the 150m, Marsh who bids farewell on Sunday on 14 years of training in Singapore, probably thought he had a winner all sealed up, but Lim's Ray had other ideas as he knuckled down to the task to grind his way past before putting Nova Factor astern by half-a-length.
Remarkable Empire (Marc Lerner) put the writing on the wall with his best run to-date in three starts, letting down for third place another half-length away. The winning time was 1min 12.56secs for the 1200m on the alternative track.
Burridge, who underwent surgery to his right shoulder on Monday and was wearing a sling at the lead-in, couldn't have hoped for a better tonic.
"I did my rotary cuff again. I should have got it operated on before, but finally got it done on Monday," said the Australian handler.
"It's very painful and it's been a tough week, but that win tonight sure helped a little.
"He was ridden upside down as there was no speed upfront. He had to go forward and he toughed it out in the end.
"I think the 1600m will suit him as he gets more racing."
Woodworth said the even-money favourite gave him a torrid time from the get-go, but his perseverance paid off.
"He was laying in shortly after the start and laid in in the straight, too. Luckily, he got the job done," said the in-form jockey.
"I hope blinkers can help him go straight. When he gets over more ground, we can take a sit on him and he will run on."
With Lim's Ray having already brought returns of $11,000 from his one third place, that account opener has now doubled his earnings to around the $22,000 mark for the Lim's Stable.