While the big boss may be away, the Stephen Gray yard has certainly not stopped churning out the winners as evidenced by their latest winner Lim’s Showcase who brought up win No 10 in Gray’s absence on Sunday.
Gray has been holidaying around Canada and US for a month now, but assistant-trainer Peter Hutton and stable supervisor Nick Selvan have been doing a terrific job holding the fort.
After coming close at his last run when runner-up to Elise three weeks ago, Lim's Showcase, who was at his fifth run for Gray after moving from trainer Steven Burridge, was recording his first win for the Kiwi handler in the $60,000 Mr Big 2011 Stakes, a Class 4 race over 1200m.
Hutton said Lim’s Showcase was left a sitting duck after hitting the front a little too soon at his last run, but said it was through no fault of his rider, apprentice jockey Amirul Ismadi, who was again aboard on Sunday and duly made amends.
“He’s a neat little horse with a massive stride. At his last run, he was taken to the front too soon, but it was not really the kid’s fault as he was left in front and had no other choice,” said Hutton.
“I did say to (racing manager) Mick Dittman I was a bit concerned he was coming too soon, but I then I saw him bounce out of it and we thought he’d be okay, and we just had to keep him happy.
“Amirul gave him a perfect ride. It takes a lot of guts to try and sit for as long as he did and get the horse to travel, when there are so many horses coming to challenge.
“Steve’s back on Thursday. I’m sure he’s happy with the way things have gone at the stable.”
Malaysian apprentice jockey Amirul said a more patient ride was the key to going one better this time around.
“At his last start, I hit the front too soon,” said Amirul, son of former jockey Ismadi Ismail.
“He’s a horse with a short burst and you’ve really got to time his run to perfection. I saw the mare (Prechagorda) was already coming back and that’s when I went for him.”
The John O’Hara-trained Prechagorda (Corey Brown) led from Lim’s Showcase ($16 favourite) from the start but could not quite sustain her run to the line when the field cornered. Lim’s Showcase swept past but had to muster a response when $100 longshot Orchard Road (Kif Toh) charged home late to prevail by three parts of a length.
Prechagorda had to settle for third place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 11.85secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.
Lim’s Showcase has now brought his record to three wins and two seconds from 15 starts for stakes earnings past the $150,000 mark for the Lim’s Stable.
