CHAMPION’S WAY 勝得精彩

20th February 2019

There is always a new rising star in the Price Bloodstock ranks and John Size-trained Champion’s Way took his next step down that path with another impressive victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

The three-year-old was a green, immature horse when he won his debut there in January but he showed that he had both learned a lot and still had a lot more to learn when he made it two from two over the 1200m course.

From an inside gate again, the son of Hinchinbrook positioned just off the pace then gathered up the leaders quickly when they straightened for the stretch run and this time won with a clear margin.

“It looked like he learned a bit from his first start. He looked a little bit more efficient so he made very pleasing progress after just one race,” said Size. “I didn’t do anything special with him in training, I was hoping just with the benefit of the race that he’d learn something and it looked like he did. He’s shown that acceleration in trackwork, but he’s never shown it in his barrier trials. He’s always trialled as if he’s not doing his best and then, on race day, Joao Moreira had to make him do his best and he did and he’s learned from that.”

With Moreira suspended, Zac Purton took the reins for his first experience of the young galloper and was impressed with what he found.

“After watching his first start, it looked like he was off the bit the whole way and he was similar in that regard early in the race,” Purton said. “When they ran across him he was a bit reluctant to hold his position, he was a little bit unsure about where he was. But he caught me by surprise with his turn of foot and once he got there he just idled so I think there’s more to come.”