News

Saints Marches In At Caulfield

18th Sep 2011

Virtual Formguide - Carl Di Iorio - Saturday, 17 September 2011

Jockey Chris Symons conceded post-race that it wasn’t one of his better rides but Utah Saints still managed to claim this afternoon’s $70,000 Pin & Win For Epilepsy Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield.

Trained by the Flemington-based combination of Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, Utah Saints won his first race in open class after notching three wins as a three-year-old last season.

“He got there (to the lead) pretty easy in the end,” Ellerton said.

“That’s his go. He is a free striding sort of horse and he got bottled up at Flemington a fortnight back.

“He just grinds away with his good cruising speed but he did give him (Chris Symons) a bit of a tough time early.”

Symons later admitted Utah Saint’s nasty nature could have been sparked by him.

“I probably nearly cost him the race,” Symons said.

“I gave him a dig (in the ribs) and he never came back underneath me. He was entitled to fold probably at the 200 metre mark because he’d done a lot of work within himself.

“I was kicking myself once I’d going halfway because he has been known to over race a little bit and it was probably my blue giving him a boot out,” he added.

Utah Saints ($6-$5.50) defeated last start winner Pinnacles ($12-$14) with Testa My Patience ($2.10-$2.35 fav) rattling home late for third, beaten 1-3/4 lengths from the winner.

Ellerton will now look for a suitable listed and Group 3 race for Utah Saints, who at his previous two starts this preparation as a four-year-old filled the minor placings in listed races.

“The form around him is pretty good. He was a first-up second to Bel Sprinter and I’m sure he’ll pick up a stakes race,” Ellerton said.

Utah Saints, who was purchased for $150,000 from the 2009 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, has raced 16 times for four wins and eight placings with prizemoney now beyond the $210,000 mark.