The Bryan and Daniel Guy trained Clearance Sale resumed after a five-and-a-half month break from race action with an eye-catching victory at Eagle Farm taking out a Benchmark 72 Handicap with some aplomb.
The three-year-old was aided by a superb ride from Michael Rodd.
Rodd just let Clearance Sale ($2.35) find his feet after the gelding was tardy away and he settled some four lengths back in second last place in the eight horse field.
Rodd was happy to save ground on the turn before asking Clearance Sale to quicken in the early part of the straight and which stage Clearance Sale began to make steady progress.
There was still plenty of work for Clearance Sale to do though inside the final 200m where Hidden Eyes ($7.50) had skipped clear looking the likely winner, but Clearance Sale had now built sufficient momentum to rapidly close up on the leader.
It was always going to be close but Clearance Sale took Hidden Eye’s measure in the last couple of strides.
“He is a nice horse this. I think he is a 1400m / mile horse,” said Bryan Guy.
“I had him in a couple of times in 1400m and 1350m races and he drew wide … and I said no I’m not going there.
“Then I thought, it’s been a while since the trial and I might need to give him a run so I thought the 1200m, being a bit fresh, might be good for him, and you’ve just seen what he can do.”
This was Clearance Sale’s third win from only six starts and the son of Hinchinbrook has yet to finish out of the first three places.