Four-year-old Bold Soul returned to winning ways at Flemington, where he again emphasised his depths of stamina, repelling the challenge of Goldenstatewarrior and Muktamil under apprentice jockey Thomas Prebble.
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained son of Cambridge Stud based Embellish dug deep to score over 2540m in his first success since landing the Gr.3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville 14 months ago.
Earlier in that three-year-old preparation, he had previously claimed Listed wins in the Tasmanian Derby and the Launceston Guineas.
“He was really good through his three-year-old year and then took a little while to measure up as a four-year-old, but it’s great to see him do it here today for owner Graham Cleary,” Michelle Payne said.
“It was a terrific ride by Tom. He was a bit nervous as to how he was going to slot in but he did it to perfection and it’s great to see him continuing to progress as a rider.
“I love this horse, I had him down in Tassie and in Adelaide last season. Patrick calls him an opportunist as if he can find a way out, he might lean that way, but he is starting to become a really genuine horse now and really wanted that win.”
Runner-up on the course at his previous start, Bold Soul answered every call for Prebble in the run home to post the sixth victory of his 18-start career.
“We landed in a lovely spot, and I was happy with the tempo,” Prebble said.
“He travelled well all the way and was really game late.”
Bold Soul was bred by Te Keeti Bloodstock and bought out of their Book 2 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Hamish Auret for $20,000.
He was a jump-out winner for the Wanganui horseman before his sale and relocation to Payne’s Victorian operation.
Bold Soul is by Cambridge Stud stallion Embellish and out of the Irish-bred Singspiel mare Twin Soul, who was successful on three occasions up to 2400m. – NZ Racing Desk
