Peter Snowden looks to be slowly getting group one galloper Erewhon back to his best after the gelding won the $70,000 South West Kerbing Handicap (BM90) (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
As a three-year-old, Erewhon combined with Hugh Bowman to win the 2010 Group One Spring Champion Stakes. Since then he has had foot problems galore and Saturday’s victory was his first in that time.
This time ridden by Rod Quinn, Erewhon travelled comfortably in the run, one off the fence in fourth about three lengths behind race leader O’Crikey (Clipperton) .
Approaching the turn Quinn made his move three wide to challenge and as the field left the bend and straightened Erewhon levelled up to the leaders. From there he kicked clear.
Considering he hadn’t won in a while it is understandable he had forgotten how to do it and his rivals finished hard but the line arrived in time and Erewhon score a win that was a long time in the making.
At the line the margin was a half head to Glintz (NZ) (Robl) with the same margin World Wide (Spriggs) in third place. The overall time was 1.38.59 with the last 600m run in 36.4.
A busy finish with Erewhon and Rod Quinn ahead of World Wide and appretice Blake Spriggs (blue) and Altered Boy and Tommy Berry (pink) on the inside, picture Sportpix.com.au
“He surprised me, I was disappointed with his first up run, I thought he was more forward than that but these old horses, when they get out of form like that it takes that much longer to get them back,” Snowden said.
“He is two runs on now and I think he will improve further after this, he still was a bit fresh there out the back so he can improve more.
“It is very satisfying today because it has been a long time between drinks, he has had so much trouble with feet, he has had four quarter cracks in the last 18 months and it just gives us hell, so we finally have him right now and it is a good job by all the staff.
“He is a group one winner and group one winners are hard to get so when you get one you want to get the best out of them but it has just been one thing after another with him and hopefully we will get him back to his best this time through.”
“It was getting close there at the finish, glad it wasn’t any further,” Quinn said.
“He is a big strong bloke and he just keeps whacking away and just towards the finish there those other horses had a bit of dash left in them but I held them off, that was the main thing.”
Erewhon is by Commands out of the Quest For Fame (GB) mare Pseudonym and is owned by Darley’s Sheikh Mohammed.
Picture ATC