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Sebring five-year-old Black Swan was the popular pick in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1800m on Friday, but there weren’t many who would have thought he would rout his rivals with so much ease.
After racing quite handy behind the leader Golden Thunder (Ng Choon Kiat), but three wide, an early move to hit the lead under Michael Rodd had most thinking he would come unstuck halfway through.
But the $16 favourite clearly had not spent a penny in transit, as he pinged again for a sizzling turn of speed hitherto unseen at his previous 29 starts.
By the 150m mark, they were so far ahead that Rodd could sit and pose for the camera as they went on to score by a widening margin of just under six lengths from Big Banker (Olivier Placais) with Danger Zone (Derreck David) third another nose away. The winning time was 1min 51.07secs for the 1800m on Polytrack.
Winning trainer Steven Burridge looked like he was pinching himself after he just watched his horse thump his rivals so emphatically.
“He’s had so many seconds and thirds, and it’s been so disappointing,” said the Australian.
“But with Michael Rodd tonight, he hit the line really well. He’s never won on Polytrack before and I didn’t expect him to win by that margin.
“I must have been off the ball!”
Rodd was at his second win on the Masa Otani-owned galloper, with the first one coming in inferior company (Class 5) over 2000m four months ago.
“I won on him over 2000m before, but he’s had a lot of outs since,” said the Australian jockey.
“He had no luck at his very next start. He is an on-pace runner and he showed a lot of zip and confidence tonight.
“I probably went a bit early but the race was soon over.”
With that third win from 30 starts, Black Swan has now taken his stakes earnings past the $170,000 mark for the Big Valley Stable.