Highland Beat wins 2017 A.R. Creswick Series Final Listed $120,000 at Flemington (VIC), 1200m.
After showing promise last preparation, which included placings on two occasions at Group level, Lindsay Park-trained colt Highland Beat scored his first stakes win here. He settled in sixth place, in the centre of the track, not far off the leaders, who were setting a moderate early tempo (first 600m 36.83). Beau Mertens asked for his effort at the 300m and the colt responded to grab the lead at the 50m and then went on to score nicely by a long neck.
The $31 chance Hay Bale ran a bold race. He narrowly led from a number of runners, close up in the centre of the track, seemingly going strongly. He was challenged at the 300m and was briefly overtaken before fighting gamely for a close second.
The favourite Ken’s Dream raced in third last place in the 12-horse field, before getting through to be in a challenging position at the 100m. He then kept battling on gamely under his 58.5kg top weight for a close up third while three-year-old filly Mystified ran on nicely from ninth for (0.6 lengths) fourth.