Conditions during the running of the fourth race at Eagle Farm on Saturday, as far as actual rainfall is concerned, was as bad as anything most racegoers had seen in their time.
The race was run in an absolute, torrential downpour but, as bad as that was, it failed to dampen the chances of the Desleigh Forster trained Georgie’s Pride who led her field a merry dance when capturing her third successive win.
Georgie’s Pride started second favourite at $3.40 and the only horse to annoy her at any stage was the favourite, Mass Destruction ($2.60).
When the field had settled after the jump, Jim Byrne had pushed Georgie’s Pride into a clear lead and she was being tracked by Mass Destruction with a gap back to the balance of the runners.
Mass Destruction raced two lengths off Georgie’s Pride approaching the home turn before edging closer on straightening and then gradually moving up to make his challenge.
As the leaders came up to the 200m mark, Mass Destruction was almost alongside his market rival but, just when it seemed the momentum was in the Tony Gollan trained runner’s favour, Georgie’s Pride responded to his presence, almost as if she had been waiting for him to appear, and she kicked on with an effort that Mass Destruction found too difficult to match.
Georgie’s Pride’s resolute gallop saw her draw clear again over the closing stages to claim victory by 1.50 lengths to give Desleigh Forster a very welcome birthday present.
“We came to the racing thinking we had a really genuine chance,” said Forster. “When the rain came it looked awful … but Georgie delivers!
“Jimmy (Byrne) said the reins were so wet she was pulling the reins through his hands. She was just going away from them in the end, so it was all super.”
“She is an honest little horse,” said Byrne. “She tries so hard. I knew when Mass Destruction came up to us, she was in for the fight. It was a good effort.”
This was Georgie’s Pride’s sixth career win from only eleven starts and she once again showed that you go against her at Eagle Farm at your peril as five of her six wins have come at this track.
Tony Gollan had five runners in the race and they formed a procession home, led by Mass Destruction, finishing second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
No cigar, and it didn’t come with the glory or the first prize of $61 000, but the accumulative prize-money return of $40 000 from the race for the Gollan stable was not a bad consolation prize.
