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Consistent performer One More Minute added to his growing reputation when he landed the $95,000 Open Benchmark 83 Stakes (1200m) on Sunday.
Providing jockey Joao Moreira with yet another winning treble – his eighth of the season so far – One More Minute got up to score by a neck over Art of Speed (Tengku Rehaizat) with Indicio (Saifudin Ismail) a half-length back in third place.
One More Minute enjoyed the fast pace that was carved out by Mr Raffles (Greg Cheyne) and Indicio with Moreira was smoking his pipe in fourth position.
But passing the 600m the pace increased and Moreira had to start working on the gelding where he made ground three and four wide to the turn.
However he wobbled slightly around the corner and lost some ground and it all looked set to be a fight to the finish between Indicio and Mr Raffles.
But over the last 150m One More Minute got wound up and descended on the leaders, overhauling that leading pair and then holding off a late charge of Art Of Speed.
“That has been a very good effort,” said trainer Steven Burridge.
“Even though he has won three times at the 1200m we have always felt the trip was too short for him.
“Even today with 200m to run he looked to be struggling a bit, but he's a real trier and dug really deep to get there on the line.
“He doesn't have a really big sprint at the end of his races and keeps grinding away. Joao had to be at him most of the way, but in the end it has been a very good win.”
Burridge was high in his praise for wife Julie who has been in charge of the team while he has been dividing his time between Singapore and Dubai over the past month.
“Julie goes for her 'B' licence soon and has done a great job whilst I've been away,” said Burridge.
“She got a double the first time I was away (One More Minute and Shuttle Man) and another double with Shortcut and Shuttle Man the last time.
“I got home on Friday night to see Awakened win so she's done a great job keeping the stable running.”
Moreira who had previously scored twice aboard One More Minute, said the gelding had come back from a spell in excellent order.
“I won on him a couple of times last year and after his spell he has come back a lot better and more mature,” said Moreira.
“Today he travelled really well behind the speed, but at the 600m they sped up and I just had to get to work on him.
“When I pulled him out in the straight I was always confident that I would get them, but Art Of Speed did surprise me a bit getting as close as he did.”
A four-year-old Australian-bred by Iglesia from the Semipalatinsk mare Just A Trick, One More Minute has won five of his seven starts to date and more than $200,000 in prizemoney for the Hippocrates Stable.
