The decision by Melbourne’s premiership-leading trainer Darren Weir to freshen Trust In A Gust for the Gold Carat has reaped another reward for connections at Caulfield.
Weir thought about spelling Trust In A Gust after his win in the $100,000 Eureka Stockade at Ballarat in November but after seeing how well the colt was doing in a paddock he decided to target Saturday’s $150,000 event at Caulfield.
Trust In A Gust winning the Harris Walker VOBIS Gold Carat at Caulfield ridden by Damien Oliver and trained by Darren Weir - (photo by Steven Dowden/Race Horse Photos Australia)
Trust In The Gust was sent out the $2.90 favourite in the 1200m race, restricted to horses nominated to the VOBIS Gold series, and after settling behind two other fancied runners the colt burst through a gap inside the final 200m to score.
He defeated Churchill Dancer ($18) by a half length with 1-1/4 lengths to outsider This Is The Show ($71) third.
“We put him out in a grass paddock at home for a few days (after Ballarat) and he was just so well in himself,” Weir said.
“I had a look at the calendar and I thought, `there’s a great prizemoney race coming up’ in about six weeks’, so it gave us time to freshen him up.”
Trust In A Gust took his record to five wins from eight starts and will target another victory in the series over 1500m at Moonee Valley on January 24.
Weir called on champion jockey Damien Oliver to ride Trust In A Gust after Brad Rawiller was suspended for careless riding at Ararat on Monday.
“I feel for Brad a bit,” Weir said.
“He’s done a great job on the horse because he’s been a bit tricky to ride, but when you can’t get Brad you put on the best. It was a terrific ride from Oliver.”
Trust In A Gust was the second of three winners for the day for Oliver who leads the Melbourne premiership while Weir went to five in front of Peter Moody in the Melbourne trainers’ standings.
Churchill Dancer was second to Trust In A Gust at Ballarat and had to settle for runner-up again, sprinting well late after being momentarily held up.
David Hayes’ stable representative Bruno Rouge-Serret felt Churchill Dancer should have challenged the winner.
“It’s probably one that got away,” he said.
