White Doubles Up With Twenty Grand
- Thursday, 08 July 2010 23:47
Sprinting Tasmanian visitor Twenty Grand will contest the biggest race of his seven-year career when he lines up in Saturday's $150,000 All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington.
The gelding has been far from his best with seven and eight length defeats at his only two Victorian runs this preparation and White concedes the step up in class was not the original plan.
"Upping the ante after two crushing defeats is not any trainers ideal lead up," said White.
"I was very pleased with his first up run given the way the race panned out and we expected it to top him off perfectly for a win second up, which was the goal."
Unfortunately for White, Twenty Grand was never able to get going second up, with jockey Darren Gauci stuck three-back on the rail at the valley for the 1200m journey.
"Darren almost found the box seat, but then got shuffled back and the horse barely worked up a sweat after that," said White.
"He pulled up like he had never gone around so we weighed up our options, and Saturday's race looked strangely enough the most ideal.
White admits that he is banking on the seven-year-old letting down, which he hasn't had an opportunity to do thus far, but highlights there are a lot of positives leading into the straight dash.
"He needs to let down when the runs come, he looks like he wants to and is doing terrific on the training track, but he is on old legs," said White.
"On Saturday he drops to just 53kg, gets a wide open track and he has met horses of equal or better calibre before and been more than competitive.
"I also think he will appreciate the absence of turns, having had tendon issues throughout his career, he added."
Twenty Grand will also have a change of pilot with Tasmanian apprentice Jason Maskiell getting the gig for both White's runners on the day.
"Jason has ridden the horse before and was going to ride him first up until he got suspended," said White.
"He will also ride my other runner Gathering Gold who is first up and a real horse on the up."
Gathering Gold will contest the AFL Life Members And Carbine Club Handicap (1000m) for two-year-olds and White is hoping the horse performs well for long time client and friend Ronnie Gudden.
"Gathering Gold is going to be a very good three-year-old, this trip will toughen her up and hold her in good stead come our Summer Carnival," said White.
"My very close friend Ronnie Gudden purchased the filly, on my spec, at the 2008 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale for just $8,500 and to line her up a few years later at Flemington is a great feeling.
Photo by Fiona Tomlin.
