Jockey Clayton Douglas continued his winning run as Henry Dwyer was delighted to prepare Riding High (NZ) (Raise The Flag) to win the A$125,000 Australian Steeplechase (3900m) at Sandown on Sunday.
Riding High settled off the pace under Douglas and was given a perfect ride by the dual licence holder to defeat Michelin (NZ) (Pentire) by seven lengths with Rexmont (Shinzig) a further five lengths away in third.
Last year’s Australian Steeplechase winner Bit Of A Lad (Ladoni) struggled from halfway and was eased out of the race by Steven Pateman with 1000 metres remaining.
“You win Group Ones and that sort of stuff but there’s no greater feeling than winning a feature jumps race with a nice horse,” said Dwyer, who opened his Group One account when Sonntag (Teofilo) won the 2014 Queensland Derby (2400m) in the same colours worn by Riding High.
“It’s a good sport, the jumps enthusiasts love it. Whether it’s risk and reward, I don’t know, but winning a jumps race is a huge thrill.
“He’s just a buzzy little horse and he tends to take a while to settle.
“I think through the preparation I was hoping he’d get a bit more settled, but he was probably going the opposite way and getting a bit keener. It didn’t matter in the end, it was good.
“He was the favourite for the Australian Hurdle last year and he was scratched on the way to the gates. This is some form of consolation, I suppose, in a big way.”
Dwyer also explained how he came about having the son of Raise The Flag in his stable.
“Wayne Stewart at White Robe Lodge in New Zealand, we gave him the brief of trying to find a jumper by Raise A Flag for us,” Dwyer said.
“He called us and said that we could have this bloke for $30,000.
“He’d had two wins in the South Island, so it was a leap of faith buying him and thinking that he’d come over here and measure up but they’re natural-born jumpers these horses and we’ve got another couple at home now so it’s great.”
Douglas suggested the key to success was getting Riding High to settle through the middle stages as he had a tendency to race keenly.
“I rode him two starts back at Pakenham and he overdid it outside the leader, so I didn’t think I’d be far away in a small field, but the plan was to always get cover,” Douglas said.
“He jumped terrific and jumped himself into the race. He was the winner a long way out.
“I thought I had the leader (Rexmont) covered; I just didn’t know where the favourites were. I had a peep over my shoulder and still felt like I was going pretty good.
“He’s a nice horse and he’s going to be better next year as well.”
Riding High spent his formative years in the Wingatui stable of Brian and Shane Anderton, where he won two of his 18 starts.
Purchased by clients of Dwyer and sent to his Ballarat base in late 2019, Riding High has won another seven races for total prizemoney in excess of A$258,000.
Runner-up Michelin was also prepared in New Zealand by trainer and owner Grant Nicholson, winning three times before being transferred by Nicholson to Patrick Payne’s Plumpton stable where he has now won on another five occasions.
