Tony The Gent

Tony The Gent did really well from a wide draw to win the three-year-olds’ seven-furlong maiden that opened proceedings at Gowran Park on Sunday.

His draw in stall 16 of 16 was an obvious negative. The bend comes up very quickly after the seven-furlong start at Gowran Park, and the fact that Tony The Gent missed the kick a little meant that he had to use up some energy just to get into mid-division before the turn.

Ger Lyons’ horse was about six horses wide around the turn, and Colin Keane allowed him drift back in the field a little so that he could get closer to the rail as they turned towards the home straight. He made nice ground around the outside, however, and, although still really wide around the home turn, he travelled well into the home straight. Widest of all as they passed the two-furlong pole, he picked up nicely when Keane asked him for his effort. He finished best of all down the outside, just getting up to get the better of Waitaki and Schubert in a three-way photo.

It was a fine performance from the winner in the circumstances. Not only did he overcome a wide draw and a slow start, but he had to cover more ground than just about every other horse in the race, and he had to come from further back than ideal. The three other horses who fought out the finish, Waitaki, Schubert and Short Stacked, all raced handily. Also, they were the horses who dominated the market, they bet 8/1 bar the three of them, and the first four finished nicely clear.

This was Tony The Gent’s racecourse debut, and he should improve for it. His dam is a half-sister to top sprinter Bushranger, but she won over nine furlongs, and Tony The Gent, a son of Kodiac, left the impression here that he could improve again for a step up to a mile.

24^th April 2016