Improving colt Splintex got the judge’s decision by the narrowest of margins to take out the Group 2 $500,000 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on Day Two of The Championships today.
Splintex, above, scores a narrow win in the Arrowfield 3yo Sprint at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Splintex was stepping up to Group 2 company for the first time after winning a Saturday three year old Handicap at Rosehill on February 22 and trainer Mark Newnham was certainly happy with the result.
“That was terrific, he hadn’t been and won at the 1200m yet so I had my heart in my mouth the last few strides, but he’s just a really good genuine horse and I think he has been a bit underestimate,” Newbham said.
“His four win before today had all come in Saturday company, we tested him a little bit stronger in Melbourne and it all went wrong.”
“They had a lot of rain on the day, but we freshened him up and looked at this race and now he is a Group 2 winner and he’s still a colt.”
Jockey Robbie Dolan had been aboard Splentix for his last three starts and wasn’t afraid to park the Snitzel colt on the pace from the outset at the heels of the leader Human Nature.
“He’s versatile and Robbie[(Dolan) knows him well, it was a terrific ride by him today, he saw the other horse go on and he was just happy to let him go, horse and rider a really good job,” Newnham said.
Splentix ($9.50) surged to the front at the 300m and had enough left on the line to hold the strong finishing burst of Flit ($7) who failed by a nose to pick up the winner.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Anaheed ($6.50) ran another honest race to finish third while her stablemate and favourite ($3) Cosmic Force who wound up in seventh spot after not having a lot of room in the straight.
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