The disappointment at missing out on a runner in the Devonport Cup was tempered somewhat for trainer Michael Trinder after Liffeybeau ($4.10) scored an all-the-way victory in the TAB Quality Open Handicap over 1150m.
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The five-year-old gelding found the front in the first 200m of the race and was never headed, with jockey Troy Baker pinching a two-length lead at the top of the straight and clearing away to eventually win by three lengths from Chillout, with Blaze Forth in third.
Trinder was forced to scratch his highly-rated mare Toorak Affair from the cup on Tuesday due to lameness that is set to keep her off the track for an extended period.
But after a pre-race gallop on Wednesday morning, Trinder was confident Liffeybeau could get the job done and put a smile back on his face.
“This win probably made up a little bit for the scratching of Toorak Affair yesterday, which was a big disappointment for all of us,” Trinder said.
“He won with authority today and lived up to his trackwork and the way he’s been exercising.
“This morning he worked over 600m and was excellent with Diane Parish on board.
“She came back very happy with the work and said he’ll just jump right to the front and will win, and that was my assessment as well before the race.
“We thought he might be a $7 chance but he ended up being $4.80.
“He was under the odds, but they are never under the odds when they win.”
“Troy got caught out a bit in the Newmarket by taking a sit and getting shuffled back through the field, so we didn’t take any chances with that today.”
NEWITT UPBEAT ABOUT WARRIOR
Jockey Craig Newitt predicted further success for three-year-old John Blacker-trained filly Glass Warrior after she finished strongly to win the Maiden/Class 1 Plate.
“I know she’s only beaten a moderate field but she will continue to improve as her races get longer,” Newitt said.
“I rode her a while ago and she felt like a nice stayer.
“Her past two runs had been promising so I was happy to get back on her today.
“I think the further she goes, the better she’ll be.”
Newitt said there didn’t appear to be a lot of depth in the local fillies’ ranks and Glass Warrior was capable of going on to contest the better staying races over 2100m to 2400m.
“Those sorts of trips will be no worry,” he said.
“She showed that today – they rolled along at a good clip and turned the race into a staying test.”