The forecast rain failed to eventuate and the punters’ luck dried up after a series of rough results at Flemington.
Dry and windy conditions caused the meeting to start on a dead track but stewards saw fit to upgrade the surface after four races on Saturday.
Aeratus winning the David Bourke Provincial Plate at Flemington ridden by Dean Yendall and trained by Mick Price – (photo by Steven Dowden/Race Horse Photos Australia)
The unseasonal good track brought about the undoing of the $1.70 favourite Charmed Harmony in the $100,000 David Bourke Provincial Plate (1610m).
Charmed Harmony won by eight lengths on a softer track last time out but weakened after leading to finish fifth to the Mick Price-trained Aeratus ($8.50).
“The track was just too firm for him,” Charmed Harmony’s jockey Nick Hall said.
Price, who also prepared the runner-up Harvey’s True Heart ($18), said Aeratus earned $61,000 while tuning up for a target at Caulfield next Saturday.
“He’s not a genuine winter horse and we ran him here with a view to going over 2000 metres,” Price said.
“This was his gallop for next week.”
The bookmakers cheered earlier in the day when the $61 outsider Beleeup upset his rivals in the fifth heat of the AR Creswick Series (1100m).
Punters put their faith in the Kiwi Allez Eagle, backing the three-year-old from $4 into $3.60, but he struggled late to finish seventh.
Beleeup drifted from $31 to $61 despite two handy efforts behind the smart Il Cavallo at Sandown and Flemington and trainer John McArdle said the gelding’s work convinced him he had a winning chance.
“We have had a lot of trouble with his feet and with his attitude, he used to bolt,” McArdle said.
“His work was brilliant during the week but it always is.”
Crafty Cruiser ($7.50) foiled another good betting move when he scored a narrow win in the Banjo Paterson Series Heat (2520m).
Punters backed Zuma Roc form $3.80 into $3.30 but the Peter Moody-trained galloper fell a head short of a second win in three starts.
Meanwhile, jockey Luke Nolen joined fellow riders Glen Boss and Damian Lane on the injured list after one race at Flemington.
Boss and Lane missed the meeting after suffering injuries on Friday while doctors stood Nolen down after the rider pulled a back muscle.
Nolen said he would seek medical advice before deciding whether he would ride at Sandown on Wednesday.
