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The return to Polytrack went a long way in bringing Peace No War back to the winner’s circle on Friday night.
The former top juvenile did not make his presence felt at his last run in a turf race, when fifth to Darci Charmer, but lined up in the $100,000 Canada Cup 2015, an Open Benchmark 83 race over 1200m on Polytrack, he showed his better side, producing a decisive turn of foot under Corey Brown at the 300m to put paid to his eight rivals.
Tracking One Smart Cat (Matthew Kellady) from the jump, Peace No War ($37) bided his time until the point of turn where Brown gave him a first dig. Meanwhile, short-priced favourite My Lucky Strike (Manoel Nunes) was trying to raise a gallop after travelling in the box-seat from the start.
But it soon became evident the unbeaten three-year-old’s burst at his previous four-in-a-row had gone missing when he was making hardly any ground on Peace No War despite Nunes’ efforts.
Upfront, Peace No War showed no signs of letting-up even if Vertical Start (Barend Vorster) did loom up as a late threat in the concluding stages, but the gap proved too difficult to bridge in the end as Peace No War finished in advance of Vertical Start by half-a-length. One Smart Cat stuck on well to run third another half-length away. The winning time was 1min 12.11secs.
Freedman was obviously pleased his War Pass four-year-old had returned to winning ways to maintain a handy record of six wins and six placings from 16 outings.
“I think bringing him back to Polytrack did the trick. He had always shown superior form on Polytrack before,” said Freedman.
“It’s kinder to his legs as he did sustain a fractured sesamoid early in his career. The turf track was too firm for him last time out.
“He’s always been a horse with a lot of ability, but I think I will stick to Polytrack from now on. He just stretches out better on it.”
Brown said he kept looking out for My Lucky Strike in the initial stages of the race, but when the challenge from the Mark Walker-trained galloper did not eventuate, he just let his mount make the race his own.
“I thought the favourite would be hard to beat, but my horse was in a good spot when he came underneath me,” said the Australian jockey.
“I think he got beat last time out because it was the grass; it was too firm. I told Michael we should put him back on the Polytrack and he attacked the line really well.
“It’s worked out great.”
Peace No War, a former winner of one Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series as a two-year-old in 2013, has now amassed more than $370,000 in stakes earnings for the Lotus Stable.
As for the beaten favourite, Nunes said he had excuses and should be brought back to the 1000m-1100m speed dashes.
“He lost a shoe and I think the 1200m may be too long for him,” he said.