News

Emerald Downs finds the line right on time

28th Aug 2011

Racenet - Nic Ashman - Saturday, 27 August 2011

Trainer Anthony Cummings and jockey Glen Boss have kicked off Saturday’s Run To The Rose meeting with a winner after Emerald Downs was in front at the right time to score in the Keune Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill.

The pair will team up when unbeaten colt Smart Missile makes his return in the feature race but it was Emerald Downs that had the combination smiling after a gutsy win.

Boss settled the daughter of Churchill Downs fourth while race favourite Phenomenal Lass led the field up after being forced to work to cross the likes of Gorgeous Amelia and Hollyweird.

Soon after straightening, Boss hooked his three-year-old filly to the outside and commenced his run hitting the lead with 200 metres to go before being challenged by the Grahame Begg-trained United Harmony.

On the line there was nothing between the gallopers with a photo used to separate the pair.

Emerald Downs was posted in the winner's frame ahead of United Harmony with Girls Go Racing weaving through the ruck to finish third.

"She's a really nice filly with a good spring in front of her,” Cummings said.

"She'll go back to her own grade and sex now.”

Boss said the race didn't pan out as he'd hoped over the final third of the event and it nearly cost his mount victory.

"I went a bit soon on her but luckily she made up for my lack of judgement,” Boss said.

"I thought the favourite (Phenomenal Lass) would go a bit further but when I let my filly go she just went straight past it.”

"It was a good performance and she will take natural improvement from it.”

For jockey Brenton Avdulla aboard United Harmony it was the fifth time in the space of a week he has finsished second in a Sydney metropolitan race.

"She tries hard, I wasn't sure if had won I knew the momentum was on my side but it wasn't to be,” Avdulla said.

Emerald Downs ($135,000 2010 Premier, 3f Churchill Downs x Spirit Of Grace (NZ))