Handy galloper My Brothers Keeper made each mile of the 3,300 mile red-eye flight of South African owner Rene Bacher count when he triumphed in the $60,000 Class 4 Division 2 race over 1400m on Sunday.
The recently Tokyo-based Bacher (pictured above), whose investment banker husband Ryan also flew in for a business meeting during the week, but had to give Sunday’s meeting a miss, was over the moon her favourite horse had bounced back to winning ways, especially after he had another relapse of respiratory problems after a race in February.
The son of Handsome Ransom looked like he had put his roarer-tag behind when he scored back-to-back wins in November and January, but the same issue reared its ugly head after a race on February 8.
Undeterred, trainer Stephen Gray patiently nursed My Brothers Keeper back to health. His last couple of runs when he closed in late suggested he was peaking to his best.
When the New Zealand conditioner told the Bachers that My Brothers Keeper stood a good chance on Sunday, not to mention their other horse Cool Belt (an eye-catching sixth at his second start) was also showing encouraging signs, Bacher decided there and then she would hop on a plane for the seven-hour flight on Saturday just to watch her two “babies” race.
Unfortunately, Cool Belt was scratched from Race 2, which left Bacher with only My Brothers Keeper to cheer home, and the four-year-old did not disappoint.
Travelling comfortably two off the fence for jockey Corey Brown, My Brothers Keeper ($17) kept sliding up to be within striking distance at the top of the straight. Even-money favourite Hydro (Michael Rodd) was being hailed the winner halfway up the straight, but, maybe it was the loud screams from Bacher and the whole Gray gang that gave that extra push, My Brothers Keeper just kept up his unrelenting gallop to sweep past Hydro and put a space of 1 ½ lengths in between.
North Atlantic Ice (John Powell) ran on for third another length away. The winning time was 1min 22.44secs for the 1400m on the Short Course.
“It was really worth the trip,” exclaimed a clearly overwhelmed Bacher as she headed down to the winner’s box.
“Ryan will kill me as I didn’t have a bet on him! But it doesn’t matter, he won! I just love this horse and Corey is a genius.
“Thanks to Steve and everybody at the stable for doing such a great job with our horses.”
Gray, who himself was riding on the crest of a wave after saddling a training treble (Bankers Call, So The Thing and City Of Kirkwall) on Friday and had just returned from a Gold Coast horse-buying trip, was chuffed as anything for the Bachers.
“I told them they had two good winning chances. Unfortunately, Cool Belt (part-owned by his father Kevin) took a bump on his tendon and had to be scratched,” said Gray.
“But this horse (My Brothers Keeper) is such a genuine horse. He has been working well and he really put in the big bounds in the last bit.
“It’s terrific for Ryan and Rene. This is what racing is all about, people like them who just love their horses.”
With that fourth win from only 15 starts, My Brothers Keeper has now brought his earnings around the $170,000 mark for the Gray & Bacher Stable.
Brown, who was wrapping up a super weekend, adding two more wins (Xzuberance scored in the first race) to his haul of four winners (Divided House, So The Thing, City Of Kirkwall and Mings Man) from Friday, was glad My Brothers Keeper had got his mojo back.
“He was three wide but was travelling so smoothly all along. Once I clicked him up, he just quickened up so good. So happy for Rene, but it looks like she will have a red-eye flight back-to-back here!” said the Australian hoop who also just returned from a one-day visit in Brisbane on Saturday, but without success (joint-favourite Lumosty ran unplaced in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap).
“It's been a great weekend. Too bad about the Stradbroke. She (Lumosty) was wide, but still, I was expecting more from her.
“When I pushed the button, there was nothing there.”
