Trainer Chris Munce could not explain why Captain Dodge put in such an ordinary run at his last start, a week ago at Doomben, considering he ran an absolute pearler at the Gold Coast two weeks prior to that.  However, on Sunday at the Sunshine Coast, he was back to his best when taking out Race 2 of the day, the OUR RED & YELLOW HERO Class 3 Plate over 1600metres.

In a field a five, Captain Dodge broke evenly from the middle barrier and quickly settled into third spot, one off the rail.  By the 1200metre mark Tacamma Blue had worked into first position with Awake the Stars following and Captain Dodge still back in third, some 4 lengths off the leader.  With 900metres to greet the judge, Captain Dodge, with senior jockey Ronnie Stewart guiding him, had settle into a nice run and even though Brumby Jack had come up on his inside, relegating him onto fourth spot, he was still only 2 lengths of front runner Tacamma Blue.

As they started to head into the turn and with 500metres to go Stewart began to go to work on the gelding.  Straightening up for the run home he pulled him out from behind the two leaders and began to put him into the picture.  At the 250 Stewart began to ride hands and heals and it worked.  Captain Dodge started to pick up the pace and when they hit the red running rail at the 100metre mark Captain Dodge had hit the front and held off Tacamma Blue to win by a head in a time of 1:41:50. With the win, he also got one back on Awake the Stars who he beat him by a nose two starts back.

The 4year-old bay gelding is by Captain Sonador and is out of the Dodge mare, Slide (AUS).

Congratulations to all owners and connections.

[Photos courtesy of Grant Peters, Trackside Photography]