One
of Denman's first stakes-winners when taking out the Listed BRC Dalrello Stakes
as a two year-old, now six year-old gelding Pinch River was back in top form at
Doomben on Saturday to win the Listed BRC Bribie Handicap.
The Robert Heathcote trained gelding led all the way to score a neck win in the
1050 metre sprint, his eighth win from 20 starts with prizemoney in excess of
$363,000.
Pinch River has notoriously fragile hooves, so is now likely to be kept on the
fresh side for a tilt at the Magic Millions Sprint on the Gold Coast next
month.
"He has had plenty of troubles and I'm really proud of this horse today,"
Heathcote said.
"I kid you not he has not had a track gallop for a month.
"He has only done some slow work and some swimming.
"I'll be honest it is the first time I've ever done that with a horse and he
has come here today on raw ability and once he found the front he was never
headed.
"I was not game to give him much work on the track because I know there is only
so many miles in each of his hooves."
An $85,000 Magic Millions purchase for Paul Willetts Bloodstock from the Musk
Creek Farm draft, Pinch River is from Avenue Girl, who traces back to influential
mare Derna, the dam of Arc winner Detroit, who produced another Arc winner in
Carnegie.
Darley's Denman has just one entry for Magic Millions and six for Inglis
Classic.