CROOKED Blaze appreciated a good barrier and being back at home for the first time in many months as the Tamworth gelding skipped clear for a decisive win in today’s $20,000 Allsopp Signs Open Handicap (1200m).
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The Melissa Dennett-trained six-year-old son of Ad Valorem has been in work for almost 12 months and has raced in Queensland, the North Coast, out west and even in Sydney at his most recent trek.
Through all those, he hasn’t been far from the winners.
He’s also been “knocking on the $200,000 prizemoney door’ for all that time too, Dennett said.
Today she had just one main instruction for 19-year-old apprentice Clayton Gallagher: “Be patient”.
He was.
Gallagher, who is apprenticed to Rodney Robb but currently on loan to Brett Cavanough at Scone, made the most of barrier one.
“He’s a beautiful horse to ride,” Gallagher said.
“I just let him slide up the inside of He’s Our Toy Boy. Travelled so well for me.”
Then when he asked for him to respond, Crooked Blaze gave nothing else a chance. The six-year-old raced clear to a two and a half length victory from He’s Our Toy Boy with Golden Shoes another two lengths away third.
It was also Crooked Blaze’s 40th start and his eighth career win. He has now won $205,465 in prizemoney but Dennett admits she doesn’t know where he will head next.
“Chase dry tracks,” she laughed.
“He could go for a spell too. He’s been up since November last year. “
Crooked Blaze is, Dennett said, one of those horses who does so well in a stable environment and loves racing.
“He’s also been up against quality horses, too,” Dennett said.
“He ran a big race in the Kirby Handicap at Grafton this year. Was beaten a length in the Daniel Baker Sprint at Coffs Harbour, was unlucky at Dubbo and was only beaten 3.9 lengths by Osborne Bulls at Canterbury at his latest effort,” she said.
“He’s just been unlucky with bad barriers.”
The win continues a good combination between Gallagher and Dennett’s stable. The apprentice has won three races and placed second in the other from four starts.
