Double Impact dispelled a theory he was exclusively a wet-tracker at Doomben on Saturday.
Responding to a clever front-running ride by apprentice Anthony Allen, Double Impact won the National Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1600m) by 2-1/4 lengths.
Double Impact, Anthony Allen - Photo by Daniel Costello
The gelding was a dominant winner in heavy going at Eagle Farm at his previous start but trainer Jackie Crompton was confident he could stage a repeat performance at Doomben.
“I’ve always thought he’d be competitive on top of the ground and he proved the wet-tracker stat wrong today,” Crompton said.
Double Impact has won his past two starts at 1600 metres, but Crompton is keen to test his stamina at his next outing.
“There’s an 1800-metre race on the public holiday meeting at Eagle Farm in a couple of weeks which I’d like to give him a shot at,” she said.
Earlier, Ric McMahon was in a forgiving mood after Jungle Heat ($12) ended a losing streak of more than two years when he won the Sky Racing World Handicap (1110m).
McMahon has had a love-hate relationship with Jungle Heat, describing the gelding as a difficult horse to ride.
“He wanted to give me an awful ride early in the race when he wanted to hang out across their heels but once we straightened up he went straight as an arrow,” McMahon said.
“In trackwork he’ll promise you the world and come raceday he’ll give you an atlas but today he put it all together and was too good for them.”
Before Saturday’s victory, Jungle Heat hadn’t won a race since July, 2010.
