Wesley Vale trainer Glenn Stevenson has been forced to change his opinion of Exclusive Saturday who led all the way in the Benchmark 72 Handicap.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"When I first got him I thought he was a bit soft but since I've been working him at the beach he's a different horse," Stevenson said.
"He's only got average ability but he always has a crack."
Sydney jockey James Innes Jnr adopted daring front-running tactics on the six-year-old and he just held on to beat Island Pirate by a short neck.
"Our plan was to lead and we were just hoping we didn't get softened up like last time," Stevenson said.
"He was suited down in the weights, which is why we ran him in the Benchmark 72 rather than the Benchmark 58, and he is very fit."
Stevenson prepares Exclusive Saturday for prominent Devonport owners Vu Tu and his wife Amanda Lockett-Tu.
FIRST WIN FOR SINGAPORE RIDER
Singapore apprentice Simon Kok landed his first Tasmanian win on Geegees Rock Opera in the Maiden Plate.
The Team Wells-trained filly held out her more fancied stablemate Gee Gees Bulldog by 1-1/4 lengths with San You and Secret Gold dead-heating for third.
Kok is one month into a three-month stint in Tasmania where he can still claim 3kg.
He rode 16 winners in his first season in Singapore.
Craig Newitt was the only multiple winner on the nine-race program, scoring on Eastender, Maroch and Glass Warrior.
