Trainer Daryl Hansen is plotting a path that will take his brilliant galloper Essington back to where it all started after the gelding’s bullish win at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Essington took his record 10 wins and five placings from 18 starts when he scored a determined win in the $80,000 Listed Ascot Handicap (1200m) and Hansen has plans to take the Lloyd Williams cast-off back to Melbourne for a spring campaign.
Essington was dropping back 100m in distance from his first-up win in the Rockhampton Newmarket last month and with 57kg on his back, the gutsy little sprinter was giving his rivals between three and four kilos.
But given a confident ride by Chris Munce, Essington ($2.15 fav) proved too tough for his opposition and held off the fast-finishing Metallurgical ($4.20) to score a half-neck win with pacemaker Tierqualo ($4) a half-length back third.
“I’ll give him one more run over a mile (1600m) in three weeks and then he can have a spell and get ready for the spring,” Hansen said.
“They all had their chance to beat him today, the second horse had the length of the straight to get past him and I don’t think he was ever going to pick him up.
“I think he’s up to a big sprint race in Melbourne during the spring and that’s where I’ll take him.”
Hansen is making big inroads in Brisbane racing since he transferred south from Mackay earlier this year and Essington was one of three city winners for the day.
The astute Sunshine Coast trainer won earlier with Rocket To Glory in the $250,000 Geon Group Plate and then delivered a knockout blow for bookmakers when the heavily-supported Hampden won the final event.
Essington’s win edged Munce closer to his first Brisbane jockeys’ title in nearly 20 years after the top rider won earlier on Elusive Port in the opening race.
The double took Munce’s season tally to 77.5 and extended his lead to 19.5 wins over his nearest rival Larry Cassidy.
Munce has already won three senior Brisbane jockeys’ titles, one as apprentice in the 1989/1990 season and consecutive wins in 1991/92 and `93/94.
AAP TURF