Brenton Avdulla likened it to a cycling sprint event where cat-and-mouse tactics needed to be adopted.
The difference was this was a horse race at Warwick Farm on Australia Day.
An unprecedented 10 scratchings due to the heavy track decimated the field for the Stevco Seals & Pumps Handicap (1000m), leaving just two runners.
Avdulla, riding the Bob Pearse-trained Nash Rambler, outsmarted apprentice Sam Clipperton aboard Higashi in the battle of tactics to take out the event by 1-3/4-lengths.
It was the first two-horse race on a Sydney track since March 2005 when Magic Marvo got the better of Shallrun by 5-1/2-lengths on a heavy track at Canterbury.
“It was actually a bit more pressure than you would think out there because you are watching each other,” Avdulla said.
“It’s kind of like those cycling events where they are watching each other and then one goes for home.
“It was kind of like that and when I thought the time was right on the point of the corner, I pushed the button and she skipped away.”
With rain lashing Sydney over the past 24 hours, Warwick Farm was rated a heavy (8) for Thursday’s Australia Day Cup meeting and there were 39 scratching across the seven races.
While there was only one rival against Avdulla on Nash Rambler, the 21-year-old admitted the race didn’t pan out anywhere near to plan as he was forced to take up the running.
“No matter what pattern the horse has got, you’ve just got to throw it out the window and ride the race to win with the tempo that’s there,” Avdulla said.
“It’s different. I was hoping that Sam (Clipperton) would lead and I would sit at his girth because I thought she’d have a better turn of foot than the other horse.
“But it never works like that. He couldn’t get there (to the lead) and mine travelled super.”
Both horses opened at $1.80 on track.
Higashi got out to $2 while the winner started favourite at $1.80.
AAP TURF
