Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m).
Prepared by Patrick and Michelle Payne, the New Zealand bred son of All Too Hard was a well-supported second favourite and sat just behind a solid tempo set by Run Harry Run and runner-up Globe to power over the top late.
Hard To Cross carried just 51kgs with the claim.
“Patrick and Michelle did discuss at length running in the Benchmark 84,” stable representative Neil Grieve.
“But even with Tom Prebble’s two-kilo claim he would have had to carried 58kgs and they reasoned that it was quite a competitive race, which it turned out to be.
“Whereas with the race the thinking was they might catch a few of the others on the hop a bit as he was fit and ready whereas they were aimed at different races and fortunately for the large group of owners who turned up today he got the job done thanks to a great ride from Rose Hammond.
“She was patient and was aware that you needed to be somewhere near the rail and I think carrying the light weight in the end made all the difference.”
Connections have had to be patient with Hard To Cross, who spent 12 months sidelined after a positive swab to Formestane, a drug used to treat breast cancer, resulting in a stewards ban from racing.
Bred by Cambridge Stud’s Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, Hard To Cross is out of their two-race winning Commands mare Egyptian Cross and is the older half-brother to Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) runner-up Red Sea.
Hard To Cross has now won seven of his 25 starts and $494,855 in prizemoney. – NZ Racing Desk
