Home Of The Brave overcame interference at the start of Saturday’s Gr3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington to post his seventh stakes victory.
Bumped at the start by the favourite Great Again, Home Of The Brave (Pic: Natasha Morello/Racing Photos) regained his composure to overwhelm Great Again (Viscount) over the final 100m to score by three-quarters of a length with Game Keeper (Fastnet Rock) a half length further away in third.
Damien Oliver told Racingdotcom the early interference did not hinder him too badly as he was able to get the nine-year-old into a handy position tracking the speed.
“I just got a bit sandwiched – I think he wasn’t brilliant away but the horse on the outside jumped in on top of me,” Oliver said.
“I got through that and then let him come to the outside of Great Again. It wasn’t too much of a disadvantage.”
Oliver said the straight track and soft ground were perfect for the Godolphin-owned gelding as was the drop from the 60.5kg the gelding carried last start in Sydney to the 59kg of the Aurie’s Star Handicap.
“He’s nine now so obviously he’s not getting any better but he’s holding his form,” Oliver said.
“He was well placed today, the reduction in the weights, and he’s got good form down the straight and the soft conditions, too. Everything went perfect today.”
An imported son of Starspangledbanner, Home Of The Brave was a Group winner twice in England when trained by Hugo Palmer and has now won eight of his 34 starts – click the link below to watch the finish.
https://twitter.com/pedigreeupdate/status/1291970830583308288