Our Teddy Boy fire, Flying Agent incredible
By Jonny Turner
Blinkers sparked talented sprinter-miler Our Teddy Boy back to winning in to winning form at Gore on Friday.
The Brian and Shane Anderton trained 6yr-old put two head scratching performances behind him with a decisive victory by nearly five lengths in race 5.
Our Teddy Boy was last in his last start over 1600m at Wingatui when rated a $7 win chance.
There was no obvious explanation for the performance apart from a lack of interest on the horse's part.
The Andertons quickly fixed the issue when applying blinkers to Our Teddy Boy's bridle leading in to Sunday's rating 80 1355m sprint.
"There didn't seem to be any other reason for him to go like that at Wingatui other than him not being that interested," Brian Anderton said.
"So, Shane and I decided to put blinkers on him and he worked really well in them."
Our Teddy Boy's group of owners, who are mostly based in Oamaru, got instant reward from the gear change when their galloper powered away from his rivals in an emphatic performance on the Heavy 10 Gore track.
"I think the track really suited him," Anderton said.
"He is a nice horse - that was his fifth win."
Raise You Ten (Raise The Flag - Molly Malone) was another of the White Robe Lodge racing team to produce a strong effort at Gore on Friday.
The Raise The Flag 7yr-old ran a good third carrying 60kgs in his first attempt past 1600m.
Raise You Ten will be even more dangerous when he gets back on to soft or dead footing, which hopefully happens in his next start.
Montserrat went a sound race in fifth, just behind her stablemate.
Outram (Gallant Guru - Minnaloushka) also handled his first start past 1600m when running fifth.
The Gallant Guru 5yr-old was just 1.7 lengths from the winner after weaving through a wall of horses before the home turn.
Outram should also be more comfortable when he gets back on to soft or dead footing.
Across the Tasman, Flying Agent (Raise The Flag - Nancy Wake) continued his progression as one of Victoria's exciting jumpers with a victory on Grand National Steeplechase day at Ballarat on Sunday.
The Raise The Flag 8yr-old bolted away from his opposition to win his A$50,000 hurdle event over 4000m by a massive 19 lengths for trainer Amy McDonald and rider Lee Horner.
Flying Agent looks set to give next season's biggest jumping races a huge nudge after the excellent grounding McDonald and Horner have given White Robe Lodge bred product this season.
Raise The Flag's stock were once again prominent on another of Australia's biggest jumping meetings on Sunday.
Ablaze (Raise The Flag - Alight) was a brave second when conceding a big 6kg weight advantage to the winner Bee Tee Junior in the Grand National Steeplechase.
Sollevare (Raise The Flag - Avoid) also produced a sound third in a 3200m hurdle event.