Exasperate, who almost died as a younger horse, has continued a rise through the grades and delivered an emotional win for his trainer Matthew Brown on All-Star Mile day at Caulfield.
Five-year-old gelding Exasperate notched his second Caulfield win in his past three starts, taking out Saturday’s the Superior Food Services Grand Handicap Mile (1600m).
Young Cranbourne trainer Brown believes Exasperate, who has now won six of his 24 starts and $330,000 prize money, is a horse still on the improve and he said it was an emotional victory for those involved with the gelding.
“He nearly died as a young horse,” Brown said.
“He got pneumonia really bad and ended up with golden staff on his lung. He spent four months in a box, heavily treated trying to keep him alive.
“Obviously thousands and thousands of dollars to keep him alive and he probably shouldn’t even be racing, but here he is doing this.
“It’s a big effort for everyone that’s been involved with him.”
Exasperate ($8), ridden by apprentice Mitchell Aitken, defeated Jester Halo by a half neck with another half-head back to $2.30 favourite Rainbow Thief third.
Exasperate was placed in the Group Three Eclipse Stakes (1800m) earlier this preparation last spring at Sandown and Brown says the gelding is bred to get further.
“There’s some exciting races that we’ve got in mind, for us, with him, so hopefully we can get there at some stage,” he said.
