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Bender just like Octagonal at finish

29th Mar 2009

The Daily Telegraph - Ray Thomas - Sundau, 29 March 2009

METAL Bender is becoming racing's new version of former champion Octagonal - he seems to sense where the finishing post is and finds a way to win.

Sydney's new three-year-old staying sensation seemed to be under siege in the Group I $500,000 Dubai Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens yesterday but he managed to stick his neck out on the line and score a narrow win in a thrilling three-way finish.

Metal Bender's win revived memories of Octagonal's famous 1996 Rosehill Guineas win when he narrowly edged out Saintly and Nothin' Leica Dane.

Octagonal went onto complete the coveted Triple Crown with a memorable AJC Australian Derby triumph, the only horse to do so since the Derby was switched to autumn in 1979.

With wins in the Randwick Guineas and Rosehill Guineas, Metal Bender is now poised to emulate Octagonal and complete the triple crown in the Group I $1.6million AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 11.

"Metal Bender's definitely the horse to beat in the Derby,'' enthused winning jockey Danny Nikolic.

"He is racing like a horse looking for 2400m now. He had to fight really hard today but that's the horse - he's a winner.''

Metal Bender ($4.40 favourite) gave trainer Jack Denham the 59th Group I winner of his lengthy career and his second Rosehill Guineas after Fair Summer (1965) when he edged out Sousa ($13) by a half-head with Rock Kingdom ($4.60) a nose away third, before a healthy crowd of 10,256.

Denham's son Allan, who trained sixth placegetter Tobique, said Metal Bender had proven he was a superior stayer by winning yesterday's slugfest.

"This horse can stay all day,'' Denham said.

"He was probably in the worst part of the going again but he was too strong for them at the finish.''

"We had two runners and although I'd like to have seen Tobique win, Metal Bender had the better run and better ride.

"Corey Brown had no luck on Tobique but that's racing.''

Nikolic produced a brilliant rails-hugging ride on Metal Bender to win the Randwick Guineas and had to produce something similar yesterday.

Although the inside section of the Rosehill track was a no-go zone most of the day, Nikolic had to bring Metal Bender through along the rails for most of the race.

"I would have liked to have got out a bit wider in the straight but I wasn't able to,'' Nikolic said.

"But this horse loves a fight and just keeps grinding away. The Derby is no gimme but I wouldn't want to be riding any other horse in the race.''

Metal Bender, purchased for just $160,000 at the Easter Yearling Sales two years ago, did not make his race debut until last September where he won at Canterbury. His rapid rise to prominence has been stunning with the Guineas his fifth win from just seven starts, amassing nearly $750,000 prizemoney.

Trainer Peter Snowden said Sousa will peak for the Derby but is in two minds about what to do with fourth placegetter Caymans.

"Caymans ran really well, he was very brave, but he is still inclined to race a little fiercely,'' Snowden said.

"I just don't know whether he is mature enough to run a strong 2400m in the Derby. We will think about it but maybe we should switch to the Doncaster Mile if he gets into the race.''

Gai Waterhouse believes there is further improvement in Rock Kingdom and looks forward to a Derby rematch with Metal Bender.