3 minute read
Trainer Shane Baertschiger’s plan to ride Fight On colder in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race (1200m) on Sunday paid off handsomely after he took out his first win at his eighth start.
Although the three-year-old son of Fighting Sun did not disgrace with two thirds at his last two starts, the Australian handler observed that the handier tactics and his lack of punch in the crucial stages most probably costed him the wins.
The switch to a quieter run has now produced the desired winning effect on the MA Racing Stable-owned gelding.
"We rode him too close at his last two starts so he appeared very one-paced," said the astute conditioner.
"He drew barriers two and one then, so we were forced to be handy.
"I thought he had a good chance today. The middle gate (seven) worked better for him because he's got a better turn of foot when he's ridden quiet.
"We'll look for a Novice race or a Class 4 race for him next. No big plans yet.
"We bought him for only A$50,000 at the Inglis Gold Yearling Sale two years ago, together with Italian Revolution who costed A$70,000. They have both paid for themselves already."
With that first win and three placings in eight starts, Fight On has now earned over $70,000 in prizemoney for connections. Also owned by MA Racing Stable, Italian Revolution has amassed close to $110,000 after his last-start win in a Class 4 race last Saturday.
$20 favourite Fight On (Ronnie Stewart) landed at the rear after jumping while debutant Lim's Sinai (Marc Lerner) led the field of 10 with Twinkle Twinkle (Amirul Ismadi) in close attendance on his outside.
Saving the best for the last, Stewart peeled Fight On to the outside upon cornering. As he sprinted past his rivals at the 250m, newbie Twinkle Twinkle shied away to the inside under pressure and bumped Lim's Sinai, but the win was already in the bag for Fight On.
Tantheman (Akmazani Mazuki) came late to run second one-and-a-quarter lengths away while two-year-old debutant Silo (Jerlyn Seow) ran another three-and-a-quarter lengths away in third.
The winning time was 1 min 9.79secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.
Stewart agreed with Baertschiger's tactics but also pointed out that the drop back to the 1200m trip suited Fight On well at this stage of his career.
"He was a bit one-paced from the inside barriers at his last two starts and sometimes those barriers can do that to you," said the Australian hoop of his 14th winner this season.
"You ride him to give him the best chance but sometimes you can be a bit too close.
"We drew a nice gate to do that (come from behind) today but the plan was always to ride him quiet no matter what he drew.
"He pulls quite hard. If he (Baertschiger) kept him to the seven furlongs and asked me to ride him quiet, even with a hot tempo, we might not have been able to do it yet.
"So coming back to the six furlongs was definitely the key and it's a well-put-together plan by the team.
"Credit to Stretch (Baertschiger's nickname). He knows what he's doing and decided to bring him back to the 1200m. I haven't had a lot to do with him (Fight On)."
Five races later, Baertschiger pulled off a double after Free Fallin' (Mohd Zaki, $22) beat favourite Prioritize to reel in three in a row in the $50,000 Class 4 race (1700m).
