A bright future is tipped for Caulfield winner Floatmyboat but his trainer and jockey are convinced he’ll still take time to reach his potential.
The lightly-raced three-year-old surged to victory in Saturday’s Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1200m) before Vain Attraction made it back-to-back wins at the meeting for trainer Robbie Griffiths.
Floatmyboat winning the Catanach's Jewllers Handicap at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
Floatmyboat was having just his third start and impressed top jockey Craig Newitt with the way he stretched out from back in the field to defeat Babur by half a length with a half-head to Caitlin’s Spirit third.
“He’ll go places,” Newitt said. “You won’t see the best of him until next preparation when he gets to a mile (1600m) and a mile and a quarter (2000m).
“He’s only winning at the moment on raw ability. The thing I like about him is that he stretches his head and has a crack.”
Griffiths said the speed of Saturday’s race made a big difference for Floatmyboat, who was beaten in a “leader-dominated” event at Sandown at his second start.
“I think he’ll end up a really quality horse,” Griffiths said.
“I’m just not sure when that will be but we’re taking our time with him.
“We won’t raise the bar too high, too quickly. We’ll just take one step at a time and see how he comes through this and make it up as we go.”
Vain Attraction bounced back with a 1-1/4-length win in the D’Urban Plate (1200m) after being a luckless runner at Moonee Valley last time out when she struck interference.
“It’s no surprise to see her win today,” Griffiths said.
Griffiths said the goal would be to try to get a black-type win for Vain Attraction, possibly in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day or in mares’ races in Tasmania early next year.
