The Lindsay Smith-trained Corner Pocket made it eight wins on the bounce when making his stakes debut in Saturday’s Listed The Elms Hcp (1400m) at Flemington.
Ridden by Declan Bates, the 5yo son of Toronado (IRE) defeated Mossman gelding Movada by three-quarters of a length with the Bullbars gelding Mr Brightside a length back in third.
Beginning his winning run in a Hamilton maiden in November 2020, Corner Pocket advances his record to eight wins, a second and a third from 10 starts with earnings of $350,358.
“He lifts the bar every time he goes to the races (right) from his maiden.
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uo;He lifts the bar every time he goes to the races,” stable representative Shane Jackson said.
“He produces when you need him. He’s a casual customer at home and he’s a trier, you’d love to have a stable full of them.
“Today was a test to see what level he was at. We had a benchmark 90 with a claim that we had pencilled in in a couple of weeks’ time had he run a place so now we know he’s at that better level.
“His trip can vary. He can lead over 1200 metres, today he took a sit. He’s just a simple horse and keeps impressing.”
A $75,000 pinhook by Musk Creek Farm out of the Swettenham Stud draft at the 2017 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, Corner Pocket made $175,000 to the bid of Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) / L Smith when offered by Musk Creek at the 2018 Inglis Classic.
He is the second live foal and first winner for the winning Commands mare Baize, a granddaughter of the crack racemare Shame (Scenic), whose six wins included the Group 1 VATC One Thousand Guineas, Group 1, QTC Sires' Produce Stakes, Group II AJC Surround Stakes and Group II STC Queen of the Turf Stakes.
Baize was purchased for just $4,000 at the 2018 Inglis September Monthly Online Sale. She was barren at the time but subsequently produced a 2yo brother to Corner Pocket named Balabushka.
Her Puissance De Lune (IRE) foal died after birth last spring, and she was covered by Shamus Award in December.
Corner Pocket is the 22nd black-type winner for Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (IRE).
