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One of 28 live foals from the final crop of the legendry stallion Rubiton, 6yo gelding Freereturn earned his first stakes success at his 21st race start in Saturday's Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
A last start winner at Moonee Valley, the Jason Warren-trained gelding led his four opponents a merry dance under a positive ride by Ben Melham.
"He was
obviously the horse with the race fitness on his side," Melham said. "With
no weight on his back, from a good alley, I thought it would silly not to make
them try and catch me.
"I think (runner-up) Launay will take improvement out of the run. We got away with it on this occasion. It was a good win."
Trainer Jason Warren felt the black-type was well earned.
"He really deserved a Listed win this horse. He's super consistent," Warren said. "I tell you what, we have had a lot of fun with him. We have placed him right and it has paid dividends.
"He's been a lucky horse for the owners."
It takes the overall record of Freereturn to 9 wins, 5 seconds and 2 thirds from 21 starts for earnings of $311,413.
Foaled when his dam was twenty and some seven months after his sire died at the age of 23, Freereturn becomes the 43rd stakes-winner for Rubiton and the first from his 18th and final crop.
So named because his dam missed to Rubiton the previous season, Freereturn is the 10th foal and first stakes-winner for the Karaman mare Early Bird who was pensioned last year after producing her twelfth foal, a filly by Zupaone.
Listed - 1200m Class: Open. Track: Heavy. Time: 1:12.28. Sectional Time: 0:35.71 at 600m. Prizemoney: $120,000 - 1st: $72,000 2nd: $21,600 3rd: $10,800. |
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| 1 | 4. Freereturn | Jason Warren | B Melham (1) |
$2.88
|
54.5 |
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6g Rubiton
x Early Bird
(Karaman (NZ)
) Not Offered |
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| 2 | 1.5 | 2. Launay | Peter Snowden | V Duric (2) |
$3
|
56.5 |
|
 6g Lonhro
x Eve In Seychelles
(Palace Music (USA)
)Not Offered |
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| 3 | 2.3 | 8. Instinction | M G Price | C Newitt (4) |
$4.75
|
54.0 |
|
4h Exceed And Excel
x De Lago Mist
(Encosta De Lago
) Lot 86; 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale; Vendor - Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Maldon; Buyer - M Price & BlueSky Thoroughbreds
$300,000 |
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| 4 | 10.8 | 6. Bliss Street | S J Webb | G Boss (5) |
$9
|
54.0 |
|
| 4m Flying Spur x Jade Diva (Jade Robbery (USA) ) | |||||||
| 5 | 11.0 | 3. Prevailing | D & S Brunton | M Rodd (3) |
$11
|
55.5 |
|
| 6g Secret Savings (USA) x Amulet (Entrepreneur (GB) ) | |||||||
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