A break of 100 days seems to have done little to the emerging ability of the Mark Walker-trained Clutha Lad following a brilliant first-up win in the $55,000 Class 4 race over 1200m on Sunday.
A regular placegetter at his recent lead-up runs, the Thorn Park six-year-old duly opened his account at his ninth start at Kranji last October, when lined up in a 1700m maiden race, but the winning note was soured when the vets reported he had bled.
Walker had his own theory on the traces of blood found on his runner on that day, but had no other choice but to give him the mandatory time away from racing before being passed fit to race.
Though unplanned, the time on the sidelines actually proved beneficial to Clutha Lad, who seemed to have filled out into a stronger individual this year.
Walker was reasonably confident the Te Akau Racing Stable-owned gelding would race well first-up, but apparently not the general public, presumably put off by the short trip and his wide alley.
Sent out at $160, Clutha Lad (Shafiq Rizuan), however, finished like a good thing down the middle after racing three wide for most of the journey. Favourite Golden Mission (Manoel Nunes) might have changed the ending if he had not missed the start, running on late for second another half-a-length away, just a head clear of Accomplished (Troy See). The winning time was 1min 12.53secs.
Walker, who is having a quiet start to the season compared to last year’s flying start being only at his second winner for 2014, said Clutha Lad did not surprise him with his winning burst despite being trapped deep.
“I told Shafiq not to worry if he is caught wide as he’s a big horse. Just keep him rolling and he’ll be right,” said the New Zealand conditioner.
“Shafiq rode him well. He’s really come of age lately and I hope it will go on.
“They scoped the horse after his last race and said he bled. But he actually knocked his head when he came back to scale and that to me caused the bleeding.
“Anyway, the break seems to have done him good. He had a quiet trial the other day and I was happy with his condition going into the race.
“The 1200m was too short, but that’s the thing with horses when they are fresh. They can sprint well.”
From 10 starts, Clutha Lad has now registered two wins and five placings for stakes money just edging past the $90,000 mark for his connections.
