News

Price plays it cool after Bonus win

31st May 2010

Racenet - Brad Waters - Saturday, 29 May 2010

Caulfield trainer Mick Price has refused to get carried away after Our Baby Bonus took his winning streak to four after scoring in the Adapt Australia Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

Jockey Jason Maskiell asked Our Baby Bonus to work early to find the front before easing back on the throttle at the 700 metres.

Maskiell kept a tight hold on Our Baby Bonus until the 200 metres before asking the son of Dash For Cash for an effort, but the gelding failed to explode away from his rivals.

Sunday Rose kept Our Baby Bonus honest until the post, with the gelding holding a three-quarters of length margin over the Bart Cummings-trained filly.

“I would have thought he would be more impressive than that,” Price said. “He’s had one 650-metre trial and on a slow six, he got a bit tired I thought.

“It was a bit of a funny race but he has been in work for about 10 weeks including time on the water walker. He got tired over the last 80 metres.

“He had to use a bit more petrol early but he did a reasonable job.”

Price said Our Baby Bonus would be entered for the Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on June 12 before a shot at the open class sprinters in the Victorian Sprint Series, which will be run through June and July.

Our Baby Bonus’s main danger in the $70,000 event, the Doug Harrison-trained Tan Tat Brav, played up in the stalls before undergoing a vets’ exam and being passed fit to run.

Tan Tat Brav settled towards the tail of the field before failing to beat a runner home. Jockey Steven King said the gelding was under pressure at the 600 metres, but did not blame the barrier incident for Tan Tat Brav’s poor performance.

The on-course vets inspected Tan Tat Brav after the race but found no abnormalities.