Trainer Bruce Hill has always had a huge opinion of Man Of His Word but he has not always lived up to those beliefs.
But on Saturday, Man Of His Word convinced his trainer and punters he had finally learned what racing was about after coming from last to win the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.
The usually subdued Hill was visibly delighted by Man Of His Word ($4.80) charging through the pack to beat Cylinder Beach ($2.80) by 1 3/4 lengths.
“Man of His Word had to come from last today but I have been saying there are few horses who can sprint like him at the end of his races,” Hill sad.
“Maybe the penny has finally dropped. As I have said several times he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but on potential he is a topliner.”
Man Of His Word will now back up in the Bernborough Stakes at Eagle Farm on December 31.
“Let’s hope the pace is on again in that race,” Hill said.
Hill is also looking to the Brisbane winter with Man Of His Word who could be a Group One Stradbroke Handicap contender with improvement.
Winning jockey Jeff Lloyd agreed Man Of His Word was a work in progress.
“But he can finish very quickly. He can win a better race,” he said.
Trainer Desleigh Forster was far from disappointed with the run of Cylinder Beach.
“He was a bit slow to go and we didn’t want to get that far back. But he ran on well,” Forster said.
Likewise Luke Tarrant felt Top Tone, who ran third, had done a good job at his first stakes start.
“We had a nice run and he fought on very well,” Tarrant said.
