Wyong trainer Damien Lane will be looking to break a string of seconds when he saddles up consistent gelding Bend It Like Benny in the Class 1 Handicap over 1000m at Wyong on Sunday.
The five-year-old son of Domesday finished his last preparation with a frustrating run of five consecutive second placings in both Provincial and Country grade.
The horse has been a difficult ride for both Lane and connections with the horse’s career tally now sitting at ten seconds from twenty starts with just the one win.
“He is a funny horse, he’s very hyperactive and he doesn’t help himself at all,” Lane said.
“The races that he should be winning he gets himself beat and the tougher races he will do everything right but just finds one better on the day, it been very frustrating.
“He’s very consistent and I’m sure his time will come where he can string a few wins together as he has got some ability.”
Lane had the gelding entered at numerous places but decided a start on his home track would be most beneficial.
“He had a freshen up out the farm and he has been back in work for a little while now,” Lane said.
“We had him entered in a couple of places just trying to find the right race for him to resume in.
“Instead of trialling him we have elected to run him in the 1000m race at home and he’s fit enough and ticking along nicely so I’m sure he will run a good race and be competitive.”
Talented apprentice Jean Van Overmeire reunites with the gelding after partnering him for two of his second placings at Newcastle last preparation.
Another of Lane’s runners at his home track meeting will be tough galloper Spinning Gold who is entered in the Benchmark 60 over 1600m.
Two starts back the seven-year-old put in a grinding victory at Gilgandra over the mile.
“It was a tough win at Gilgandra but it was obviously in a lot easier grade,” Lane said.
“We had a bit of a setback with him a couple of starts ago when he nearly got brought down at Muswellbrook and he lost a lot of confidence from that.
“His next few runs were only ordinary after that so we took him to an easier race where he won well.
“He’s an out and out wet tracker and we have been struggling to find any wet tracks around lately, Gilgandra has a bit of sand in the track so he got some give there and Wyong is never rock hard so he gets his chance there.”
– Racing NSW
