One More Grand and apprentice Tommy Berry ahead of Biggietupac and Jay Ford, picture Sportpix.com.au.
The $70,000, The Rosebud Inglis Bonus (1200m) at the Sydney Turf Club’s meeting at Rosehill on Saturday was all about numbers, big and small, before and after the race, and considerable delight by the connections of the winner One More Grand.
The Snitzel colt trained by Neville Layt at Queanbeyan has a name which tells the story of how he was purchased from Bellerive Stud at the 2009 Inglis Scone Yearling Sale. Layt bid all the way to $33,000 for the colt only it have a counterbid of $34,000 go against him.
Layt’s budget did not cover a further bid and he turned to friend Glenn Williams. They decided that Layt would place one more bid, which he did, and they secured the yearling.
Then they chased the Inglis Race Series bonus races, for unplaced efforts until Saturday. But Saturday had the big numbers and this time they collected. If they had been on NSW TAB they would have collected $53.80 for the win, $7.20 for the place, the trifecta paid $4,527.70, and the first four was $48,247.60.
The big numbers continued with $42,000 for first prize, a BOBS bonus of $20,000, and then to top it off a massive $100,000, Inglis Race Series bonus. Jockey apprentice Tommy Berry said after the race that he had ‘slaughtered the horse a couple of times’ in previous races, but never mind as the numbers were all there on Saturday.
The only aspect of success missing from Saturday’s race was that it is not until next season that black type listed status will be allocated to it.
Berry did the complete opposite to a slaughter job on One More Grand, with 53kg, at Rosehill after going to the lead from barrier seven and then used patience and skill to kept the pace rolling. He then left enough in reserve hold off fellow outsider Biggietupac (Dubai Destination) and Jay Ford, with 53kg, and Liesele (Exceed And Excel) and Tim Clark, also with 53kg.
Circle Of Power was fourth and the $1.70 favourite Crossbow and Nash Rawiller were never in real contention and finished 7th. The time was 1.14.99 and the final 600m in 37.86 on the Heavy (10) track.
“This horse is a real trier and he was back to his best today. He was very relaxed going around to the gates today and that was how he was today,” said Berry.
“These connections are great people and I am just lucky they have stuck with me.
“This is a great thrill getting on one of these horses. You are always worried in these races and I was waiting for Crossbow to fly down the outside, but having said that this horse keeps trying and he is always hard to beat,” he said.
One More Grand is out of the Seattle Slew mare Lambada Lady and he is owned by Layt, Williams, Mrs BG Layt, VC Williams and AJ Lang. Previously he has won twice from nine starts and with a third he had earned stakes of $78,900. Saturday’s numbers added a tidy $162,000 that total, all for one more $1,000 back in May 2008.
To add to the numbers a winter crowd of 5,862 attended Rosehill.
Tommy Berry returns successfully on One More Grand, picture Sportpix.com.au