The connections of Exhilarate watched in exasperation as the filly gave no ends of trouble to be saddled for her encounter on Saturday last, July 13.
Exhilarate, this publication was told had to be taken back to the place she knows best her stall at the stables of her trainer Anthony Nunes to be saddled before returning to the Parade Ring, and then on to the starting gates.
“My goodness, Exhilarate had us all worried, she gave so much trouble and expended so much energy, that we never thought she could ever run the way she did,” a now comforted Nunes offered.
Exhilarate raced over the five straight, a course she is particularly fond of, like never before to register her second win at the Open Allowance level. She is now qualified for the top class.
Racing as a 25-1 betting option, the progeny of Blue Pepsi Lodge – Pure Joy stopped the clock in a time of 58.3 seconds.
Well-drawn out at barrier six and ridden by champion jockey Anthony Thomas, who was a replacement for apprentice Raddesh Roman, Thomas took the bull by the horn to outmanoeuvre a very capable field of sprinters, setting fractions of 22.3, 45.1 to win by 5 lengths.
Despite the problems faced by Nunes to get Exhilarate to the starting gates from the saddling barn, he was left pleased and relieved by the final spanking result.
“I am very pleased with her performance but clearly Chace The Great the 1-9 favourite did not run his race and this probably gave her (Exhilarate) the upper hand. But after behaving so badly in the saddling barn, she certainly put it together and changed the outlook on the day for me” Nunes said.
In the final placings, stablemate, Patriarch finished second with Tevin Foster as a 20/1 chance with Superluminal ridden by Omar Walker finishing third at odds of 23/1.
