Never far from the front
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Heart of the Citi connections including apprentice jockey Mandy Radecker look pleased to see another win (Noel Pascoe photo)
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Heart of the Citi has notched up yet another win in his campaign after successfully claiming the Carlton Draught QTIS 3YO Handicap 1300m at Eagle Farm on Saturday, March 8.
Ridden by apprentice Mandy Radecker, $3.70 race favourite Heart of the Citi (3G Show a Heart-Citichy) jumped from barrier 12 and worked hard early to get to the front and that’s where they stayed. The gelding notched it up a gear to charge home to victory. After racing from the back, Dirty (Michael Palmer) put in an excellent late challenge to claim second by three quarters of a length. A further length behind in third was Russeting (Ron Goltz).
Trainer Pat Duff’s decision to run the gelding on Saturday paid off. “He started a week prior in that feature three-year-old race at Eagle Farm and we’ve obviously set him for the three-year-old Classic at the Gold Coast on Magic Millions day. That’s the ultimate for him this preparation,” Duff said.
“I had to make a decision as to whether to start him on Saturday in that particular race or wait this coming week for the three-year-old event at Doomben. I decided that it was probably better to go the fortnight to give him a chance to have him right on tap at the race on the coast so we elected to go that.
“He had 58kg and Mandy claimed two on him. The barrier draw certainly didn’t favour him, jumping from that outer draw but I thought she rode a very intelligent ride. She rides the horse extremely well and she’s had a good association on him now.
“I left her and she rode him to perfection. I suppose it was a sterling win, he ran smart time. I think he was only point two outside the class record and within I think it was only about 1.2 outside the course record actually so I thought it was a good win,” he said.
For Duff there wasn’t a point during the race that had him worried, “Once he covered them and went across I noted that she rode to a plan that she wasn’t going to drive him hard to use up too much energy to get to the lead. Once I saw that he was basically cruising across I thought it was well aware he would have reserve to find the line and that’s just what it did turn out that way.
“Once he crossed he was allowed to travel so easy in front it was very obvious he was going to be the horse to catch and that’s the way it proved to be.”
From nine starts, Heart of the Citi has always been in the prizemoney including four wins. He has amassed $187,300 including $70,900 in QTIS bonuses. Duff has been very happy with his performance, “He’s done well as a three-year-old. I really truly think that as he matures into a good four-year-old he can certainly be a Group material horse. He’s got the potential to be amongst our better horses here in Queensland.”
QUEENSLAND Racing news: Hollie Roberts – March 10
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