After an uncharacteristic run last start First Crush found his best on Saturday when he won the GIRL’S DAY OUT RACEDAY BenchMark 90 Handicap over 1630metres.  Given the perfect ride by jockey Larry Cassidy the 6year-old gelding had the run of the race and was never under any pressure sitting back off the speed to then run home over the top.

Breaking from the inside gate Larry got Bruno to settle in behind the front runners of Zahspeed, Colour Charge and Slydini.  As the field travelled around the course not much changed in positions with First Crush holding his spot on the inside, still in fourth but just 2 lengths of the leader.  Beginning the turn for home Slydini, who was still sitting on the outside of First Crush, took off and joined Colour Charge and Zahspeed to form a wall of three into the straight, however Larry kept Bruno on the inside rail and waited for the right time to make his move.  When they hit the 200metre mark Colour Charge began to drop out and that is when Larry pulled Bruno out, around the heels of the leader, to take the gap and under a good driving ride got the gelding up and past Zahspeed to win the race by a length and a quarter in a time of 1:38:57.

After the race trainer Chris Munce said he was very happy with win.  ‘His last start at the Gold Coast left me a bit bewildered as his first two starts back from his spell were fantastic, he was just unlucky both times. So I decided to freshen him up and bring him back to the mile which seems to have done the trick.’

The son of Husson (ARG) he is out of the Choctaw Ridge (USA) mare Loving New (BRZ) and his race record now stands at 25-5:7:3

Congratulations to owners: Whitby Bloodstock Pty Ltd & Mrs J Moses

[Photos courtesy of Grant Peters, Trackside Photography]