3 minute read

Blinkers did the trick for Hawkesbury grey Frost Dodger at Muswellbrook on Sunday and a dashing ride on Andrew Gibbons's part put the icing on the cake in the Benchmark 60 Handicap (1750m).

Trainer Tony McEvoy pulled the right rein removing winkers from Frost Dodger's gear and replacing them with blinkers. Gibbons, who is forging a successful association with the stable at country meetings, circled the field approaching the home turn on the five-year-old.

Frost Dodger ($3.50) swept to a clear lead on straightening and never gave his rivals a look-in thereafter. He scored by more than two lengths from All That Excites ($7), with Antonaire ($9) in third place. The $2.70 favorite Lunar Snitzel wasn't in the hunt in the straight and finished fifth.

A gelded son of Testafiable, Frost Dodger is building a handy record. He has won three of his eight starts and has also been placed on two occasions. This was his second win from his last three starts, having also scored at Taree on August 22 in a Class 1 Plate (1600m) before finishing fourth on his home track in a Class 2 Handicap (1800m) on September 11.

Frost Dodger's success was some consolation for earlier second placings with Padlot ($7) and $1.60 favorite Piacenza.

Meanwhile, Hawkesbury's top sprinter Famous Seamus on Saturday made a great return at Royal Randwick with a strong-finishing third to $2.30 favorite Terravista in The Shorts (1100m). Ridden by Tim Clark, Famous Seamus started at $21 and lifted his prizemoney earnings to almost $800,000.