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Trainer Shane Baertschiger and the GPI Stable combined for their second win of the weekend after O’What A Feeling lived up to his short quote to claim his maiden win in the $75,000 Big Heart Stakes, a Restricted Maiden race over 1400m on Sunday.
Federer gave the team (owned in partnership with the MA Stable) a first hurrah on Friday night when he overcame a wide barrier to put his neck in front where it mattered for John Powell in the $60,000 Any Humour 2010 Stakes (1200m).
Backed down to $13 favouritism and ridden by Matthew Kellady, O'What A Feeling, who was at his second run after a promising second three weeks ago, did not jump from such a wide gate, but also put himself in a handy position early before turning up the gas upon straightening.
Still very green, the full-brother to Baertschiger’s smart miler Blue Swede started to stargaze the moment he landed in front. Warship (Barend Vorster) and Lims’ Respond (Alan Munro) fought back, but Kellady kept his mount’s mind on the job and O’What A Feeling duly obliged to score by one length from Warship with Lim’s Respond third another neck away.
The winning time was 1min 24.85secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
Baertschiger said there was still work to be done on the O’Reilly three-year-old, with his mind already made up about trying blinkers at his next run.
“He overraced early and he just doesn’t know how to let down. He did the same at his debut and got beat (by Elise),” said the Australian trainer.
“He’s still very raw but it’s his class and ability that made him win the race. That race will do him a lot of good.
“He showed me a lot more than Blue Swede showed at that stage of his career. He’s got a lot of ability, it’s just a matter of getting him to use it to the best of his ability, and I think a set of blinkers will help him.
“He’ll go for a spell now. I’ll bring him back next year.”
Kellady agreed with Baertschiger that O’What A Feeling still had a lot to learn, but once he does, he may well live up to his good genes.
“I think he’s a horse with a bright future. But he still has a lot to learn,” said Kellady.
“He did many things wrong around the turns, was pulling a lot and I thought he would draw away in the straight when he hit the front, but he was like ‘What do I do here? Where are the rest?’
“But once I hit him with the stick, he put his mind on the job and was able to hold his ground quite well.
“Shane has done a great job with him. In trackwork the other day, he worked in pairs and he wanted him to come out and go forward just to teach him to not wait for the other horse.
“It’s all about teaching him to win a race. He’s obviously improving but he still has some way to go.”
The Baertschiger yard continued their hot form on Gold Cup day when they later led in a second winner in another favourite ($14) in Solaris Spectrum (Wong Chin Chuen) in the $60,000 Community Stakes, a Class 4 race over 1200m.
After a tardy getaway, the Time Thief four-year-old left it late as he charged home down the middle of the track before collaring Trinity (Barend Vorster) who had already got the upperhand of Solaris Spectrum’s stablemate Razzostella (Kellady).
With the naked eye, it was hard to split the pair with Solaris Spectrum out wide and Trinity on the far side, but the photo print showed a short head advantage went to Baertschiger’s ward for this third win in five runs and more than $140,000 in stakes money.
