3 minute read

Handy galloper Dominant Future answered a challenge laid down by trainer Mick Price to take today's Slickpix Silver Bowl Series Final at Flemington.

The $100,000 race was the first of five series finals on Finals Day and brought together a strong field of three-year-olds over a mile.

Aside from the big prizemoney on offer there was a bit more on the line for Dominant Future who after showing a lot of promise as a juvenile has struggled to put wins on the board.

Today the Mick Price-trained gelding drew a wide gate and settled off the speed but covering ground throughout.

Galileo Gold took up the running and was there throughout, kicking strongly in the straight and trying to hold off the challengers.

The only serious threat to emerge was Dominant Future, who had covered much more ground, but slowly and surely started to pull back the margin under hard riding by Peter Mertens.

It took him the length of the straight but he got there close to the line for a dogged win.

Galileo Gold was game in defeat holding second while Captura, who had gone back early from a wide gate and also covered a lot of ground, stuck to the task well and ran on into third.

Mannopoly, who was on the speed throughout, battled on well for fourth in a race dominant by those close to the lead.

The favourite Sidecar was never in the race and was well held.

Dominant Future showed good promise early in his career and after an early win as a colt in his autumn campaign struggled when stepping up to better class.

He was then spelled again and gelded, and after two runs back and stepping to a suitable journey was facing judgement day according to the stable.

“We've had a reasonable opinion of the horse,” stable representative Mick Nolen said.

“At his first start Chasse beat him and went on to the Sandown Guineas and we thought maybe he'd be an Australian Guineas horse.

“He came back in the autumn as a colt but we've since gelded him and today was judgement day.”

Nolan said Dominant Future was a big, long striding horse, so despite covering ground today was better out in clear running.

He is expected to be even better suited over further so will be tested beyond a mile for the first time next start.

“He's a big sook of a horse and he might be better racing a bit wide. I was petrified in the run but he got to the line well and toughed it out.

“We think he's a 10 furlong horse so his run was good. We'll press on and see what happens.”

Dominant Future was a $70,000 yearling at the New Zealand Premier Sale and is a son of Pins from the Centaine mare Centelise, who was a 1400m winner in New Zealand.