An owner who backed a premonition with $10,000 has ended up with the unbeaten galloper Psychic Mick whose victory at Caulfield on Saturday may have earned him a shot at a spring classic.
Adelaide owner Mick Duffield went to a yearling sale last year without a catalogue and with a modest budget.
Psychic Mick winning the 39th Australian Infantry Battalion Vain Stakes at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
“They asked me what horse I wanted to look at and I said ‘Lot 118’,” Duffield said.
“I didn’t know what it was, but I’d had this premonition that I should buy Lot 118.”
“I was with my brother-in-law who trains him and he said he might cost more than we were thinking of paying.”
But when Lot 118 came into the ring, Duffield secured him with the opening bid of $10,000.
The aptly-named Psychic Mick duly won his first three starts in Adelaide, prompting connections to raise their sights and tackle the Listed Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
Given a perfect ride by Chris Symons, Psychic Mick ($4.60) claimed the lead early in the straight and held on gamely to score by 3-1/4 lengths from the $3.20 favourite Planet Voyage.
Free Of Doubt ($7) finished third, another three-quarters-of-a-length away.
Trainer Daniel Clarken has nominated Psychic Mick for the Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m), but is taking a realistic view of the future.
“I’m sure he’ll stretch out to 1600 metres, but whether he’s up to Guineas class or not I’m not sure,” Clarken said.
“But he’s won four-from-four so we’ve had some fun already.”
AAP TURF mh/w
