Lindop Flying High On Spirited Eagle
- Saturday, 19 June 2010 12:18
Jockey Clare Lindop has flagged a possible spring campaign for Spirited Eagle who railed through from last to score at Sandown.
Trained by Adelaide's Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas, the two-year-old made it three wins from five starts at his Melbourne debut on a heavy track in Saturday's Jim Conway Handicap (1200m).
Lindop could have stayed home and ridden at Morphettville but was assigned the mount on Spirited Eagle, her only ride for the day, to get a guide on the gelding's spring prospects.
"I'm really happy with him and we are hoping he might come back to Melbourne in the spring as a three-year-old," Lindop said.
Spirited Eagle showed no pace early in the race and was last to the home turn before Lindop pushed him through on the rails to midfield on entering the straight.
Despite his big weight of 58kg, he flattened well as the gaps opened and charged to the line full of running to score by 1-1/4 lengths from Al Jandar with favourite Trudeau 3-1/2 lengths away third.
Lindop said she wasn't too surprised when Spirited Eagle was last early in the race.
"The first furlong (200m) you can't seem to hurry him," Lindop said.
"He has just got to do it in his own time and luckily he got the right runs on the inside and was able to pick them up the last furlong."
Spirited Eagle is by Not A Single Doubt from Carnegie mare Rezidencia who won twice including over 2040 metres at Moonee Valley.
His grand-dam Society Bay won four stakes races including the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington.
Picture: Colin Bull
