Censor Remains Unbeaten
- Wednesday, 14 July 2010 03:41
The Lee Freedman-trained Censor maintained his unbeaten record after winning the $30,000 Cecil Godby Super VOBIS Handicap (1400m) for two-year-olds at Betfair Park Sandown Hillside on Wednesday.
Owned by Sheikh Mohammed, it was a rare ride for Damien Oliver in the predominantly maroon coloured silks of Darley.
Censor was ridden just off the speed from the second outside barrier before being hooked wide in the middle part of the straight before letting down with a punishing sprint over the concluding stages.
Censor ($4-$2.60-$2.70) defeated Paranoid ($13-$21) by 2-1/4 lengths with Marked Danger ($8-$7-$8) a similar margin away in third.
Rockabee Miss ($13) put in another solid performance, finishing fourth beaten five lengths from the winner while favourite Alotta Spur ($2.40-$2.80-$2.60 fav) was next across the line.
Censor was Oliver’s only ride for the afternoon after returning from England after unsuccessfully partnering Nicconi in the July Cup at Newmarket last Friday.
“I’ve been waking up at 1am in the morning after coming back from the UK, I’m still on their time I think,” Oliver said before cheekily adding “I might go and have a sleep.”
Oliver described Censor, a last start maiden winner at Kyneton as “a nice horse.”
“He come on from a nice maiden win the other day and I think he’s a lovely horse."
“A nice type of horse with a lovely attitude and he’s got nice ability,” he added.
Stable foreman Sam Pritchard-Gordon was keen to quash any suggestions Censor was destined for the elite level, taking a “let’s wait and see” approach with the son of Elusive Quality.
“He’s a horse that’s always flown under the radar and he just keeps on stepping up to the mark,” Pritchard-Gordon said.
“For an entire colt he does everything right.
“He pulled away nicely on the line.
“Lee (Freedman) is always adamant with the Elusive Quality’s you’ve got to leave them alone and let them mature.
“He’s a horse that obviously comes alive when he’s on the racecourse,” he added.
Censor, out of the stakes placed mare Glasnost, was purchased for $150,000 at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Pictures: Colin Bull
