The smart Graeme Green trained galloper Master Jamie is now a fourteen-time winner after showing his class by shrugging off the difficulties of carrying 58kg from a number thirteen barrier draw to take out the Cleveland Bay at Townsville in style.
Master Jamie has a proud record, having twice racked up winning sequences of note … once with five wins in a row and four in a row on the second occasion. He also won the $250,000 The Gateway at Eagle Farm with Michael Rodd in the saddle … and while he didn’t perform in the Stradbroke, he clearly had the credentials to be shown every respect here.
Jockey Brad Pengelly was never going to die wondering. He chased Master Jamie ($5) out of the gates and the five-year-old son of Poet’s Voice had the speed to follow Pengelly’s command, to the degree that by the time the field had travelled 200m Master Jamie was in front.
Pengelly than asked Master Jamie to relax and come back to him without losing much momentum and, again, he had a willing partner in Master Jamie, as he did when Master Jamie was put under pressure early in the home straight by Doctor Zeus ($11) on whom Nathan Day had also performed wonders from a number sixteen draw.
When Pengelly asked Master Jamie to quicken, Graeme Green’s star performer did just that. Doctor Zeus stuck with the task for a number of strides during which he remained a real threat, but there was no give in Master Jamie who steadily opened up a gap on his game rival, going to the line strongly to score a well-deserved win.
Fanaar ($14) and Langhro ($17) filled the minor placings.
The $4.80 favourite Bold Style attempted to make a forward move in the sweep to the home turn but, after being forced to corner very wide and staying a fair way back, he failed to make any significant progress in the straight and could do no better than fill eleventh place.
