A daring Hugh Bowman ride aboard Handspun has produced a few pearls of wisdom from Godolphin’s Darren Beadman, who was thrilled to see the mare score an overdue win at Rosehill.
Bowman was angling for a run aboard the well-backed $3.80 second favourite but just as he manoeuvred her into a gap, the run narrowed.
The top jockey did not panic and persisted to push through the opening, with Handspun bursting clear late to score a half-neck win over Pumpkin Pie.
Handspun’s victory followed a last-start second to Kylease at Kembla Grange, an effort Beadman said put the writing on the wall.
“She was really the ham in the sandwich and I think there was a little bit of mustard there with it,” Beadman said.
“She was getting a bit tight but the form has stacked up from last start and that win will do her the world of good.
“When she hit the line like she did last time out, that was really a PB and it’s great to see her put two runs together.”
The win was Handspun’s fourth from 13 starts and Bowman praised the mare’s will to win a race that was not run to suit her.
Kathy O’Hara on Winter In America took up the running in the TAB Venue Mode Handicap (1350m) then backed off the tempo mid-race.
That prompted Bowman to get on the back of Pumpkin Pie and let that mare cart Handspun into the race.
His tactics almost worked to perfection until things got tight in the straight.
“It got a bit neat as I was going through it but I had the horse to capitalise,” Bowman said.
“She wanted that as much as I did and it’s just a great feeling on any class of horse when they give to you like Handspun just gave to me.”
Bowman will fly to Hong Kong after the Rosehill meeting to ride at the International race day at Sha Tin on Sunday.
His rides include Mr Stunning in the Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and former Australian horse Furore in the Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
While he won a support race on the card aboard Werther a few years ago, Bowman is hoping he can break through in one of the majors.
“I haven’t won one of the big ones so it would be nice if we could tomorrow,” Bowman said.
“Furore is a great chance. Mister Stunning, I probably can’t see him winning but he will run well.”
