An attempt to win some back type awaits Phoenix Thoroughbreds‘ Best Stone after a great Nash Rawiller ride saw her claim victory at Canterbury on Wednesday, July 22nd.
It’s the third win of the John Thompson trained filly’s career, as she displayed class and tenacity in equal measure to see off her rivals.
Breaking for the widest draw of all, Rawiller fired her from the barriers and into an early lead to grab the rail. With that achieved the rider throttled her back and she settled in third. Able to get a ‘breather’ the daughter of I Am Invincible settled into a nice rhythm in third place. Just in behind the leaders until the turn, Rawiller eased his partner into a lead at the top of the home straight. Lancaster Bomber emerged as a major challenger drawing alongside the Phoenix Thoroughbreds owned filly but Best Stone put her head down and fought hard to claim victory on the heavy rated track.
“She was probably the best horse in the race going into it.” said Thompson.
“That said, the outside barrier and probably track conditions didn’t suit her today, I didn’t have much confidence going into it. She was so poor on heavy conditions on her last start but she’s a good little filly, gives you 100% and she got over today’s track a lot better than Randwick. It was a gun ride by Nash.”
“I think she can definitely get some black type. We’ll have to do some careful planning so she can get that but she’s very honest and that will take her a long way”
A “gun ride” it certainly was from Rawiller, who was winning his second race on the bounce on the afternoon. He too was full of praise for Best Stone.
“She flew the gates and I thought I’d take advantage of that,” the rider explained.
“She’s very honest sort filly all her career and in her last start she felt the winner until the straight. It’s a better surface out there today and has done the job well.”