Patinack Farm's progressive filly Longport took the step up to Saturday metropolitan class when taking the Australian Turf Club Bm 75 Handicap (1400m) for three-year-old fillies at Warwick Farm.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Punters backed the Bart Cummings trained Norzita into $1.90 but the filly was not able to show her ability with a ride by Glyn Schofield that took her to the rear after breaking well, and then not getting racing room after Schofield decided to find a mid-field passage instead of going to the outside.
Meanwhile Christian Reith on Longport took full advantage of the absence of the favourite at the leading edge of the race to dictate terms with a slow pace through to the main straight. He then used a determined run from Longport to lead all the way and hold out the challenges.
Spread out across the track were Sherocksmyworld, Chez Harmony and Dolphus, but as try as they might they could not catch Longport on the rails. Norzita was fifth.
The margins were a short head and a half-head, with the time 1.25.92 on the Good 2 track, and the final 600m in 35.30. Longport paid $10.10 on NSW TAB.
“It is a big step up from Wednesday grade to Saturday class and she has done it well and she fought on quite well,” said Thompson.
“We do not really want to lead on her but she does so well and puts herself there, but she got a couple of nice easy sectionals and fought on really strongly.
“I think she will improve with blinkers too and I think if you talk to Christian she has a good look around. At Kembla she waited until the others came up and then she kicked again, so she has got a bit of racehorse in her.
“We will just keep poking along but it would be nice to get some black type with her and she is coming in at the right time and she is a nice filly going forward,” he said.
“She has a big heart this filly and she has a lot of tenacity. It is not the way to ride her and I would like to take a sit as she is very green. But she has lot of guts, and a lot of heart, and it will take her a long way,” said Reith.
Longport was winning for the second time in succession after a first up third over 1100m at Canberra back in February and then a maiden win over 1300m at a metropolitan mid-week meeting at Kembla Grange on July 31st.
