Unbeaten gelding Callanish has been a nightmare for his connections but their persistence with the three-year-old continues to be rewarded.
Trained by Mick Price, the son of Fastnet Rock posted his second win in as many starts in Wednesday’s 4tracks4kids Handicap (1400m) at Sandown but only after he was up to his old tricks and refused to be loaded in the gates.
Price’s stable foreman Mick Nolan had seen it all before when the gelding was scratched at the barrier at Sandown on Christmas Eve for refusing to enter the gates and feared he would again be put aside and left behind.
“Once he dug his feet in I thought he was about 100-1 to go in,” Nolan said.
“Thank God for ten boys behind the barrier.”
Racing Victoria stewards have come to know Callanish well, failing him a number of times for a barrier certificate.
It was only after nearly two months with breaker Peter Dalziel and winning two barrier trials earlier this month that he was able to front at Sandown on Wednesday.
Despite his stubbornness he led from the gates and when jockey Dale Smith asked him to sprint home he quickened stylishly up the hill to score by 2-1/2 lengths from Muhaajir and Tallica.
Callanish won his only other start at Cranbourne on December 3.
Nolan said Callanish still didn’t understand how to race properly and once he learned to relax and take a sit he would be a far better horse.
“Hopefully it is onwards and upwards from here,” Nolan said.
AAP TURF
