The Brian and Shane Anderton team and White Robe Lodge enjoyed a day for the ages at Riccarton on Saturday when they collected two of the three stakes features on the ANZAC Day card.
Underrated mare Inflamed kicked off proceedings by running down race favourite Iron Hawk to win the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m) before outsider Bauble ($27) defied a muddling form line to storm home out wide and capture the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m).
Waikato-based jockey Courtney Barnes, who served her apprenticeship with the stable, made the trip south to partner the seven-year-old son of former White Robe Lodge stallion Ghibellines and made use of the gelding’s strong finishing burst to come from a clear last at the 600m to defeat home town favourite Matscot, Loose Sally and Royal Valour in a blanket finish that saw seven runners virtually in a line 50m from the winning post.
Shane Anderton was struggling to take it all in shortly after the race.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Anderton said. “He was wide on the corner but travelling good. It took the whole length of the straight but he got there.
“It was a good, tough effort and he has really stepped up today. He has got better with time and we have had a lot of fun with him.”
Anderton also acknowledged the efforts of Barnes who began her journey as a jockey with their team.
“She was apprenticed to us and went right through the system with us,” he said. “It’s good to be able to get that one with her.”
Barnes was thrilled to pick up such a big win for her former mentors.
“It means a lot doing it for BJ and Shane as that was where it all began,” she said.
“He (Bauble) was quite relaxed out of the gates and after 200m I thought maybe I should have given him a dig. He started building from the half mile and really found the line.”
Bred and raced by Brian Anderton and his late wife Lorraine, Bauble is out of their Seasoned Star mare La Gem.
He has now won eight of his 35 starts and over $211,000 in prizemoney. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
