Post Game takes out the win in a tight finish
Quirky pacer Post Game came with a late run to grab victory at Globe Derby Park on Monday.
Backed from $5 into $4.20, Post Game won by head in the Kevin & Kay Seymour Pace (1800m) from the Ryan Hryhorec-trained pair of Lochinvar Magic ($6.50) which was a similar margin in front of the heavily backed John Vincent ($1.90 into $1.35 fav).
The winner is trained at Globe Derby Park by Shaun Adams and was driven by Corey Johnson.
A seven-year-old, the gelding is owned by Chris Nicol, himself a successful trainer based at Virginia, his son Justin and Alastair Campbell.
Nicol said Post Game had an aversion to floats which was why a trainer was found close to the Globe Derby Park.
“I have been mates with Shaun since we were kids, so he was an obvious choice,” Nicol said.
“Post Game just hates floats so trying to getting him to work every day was near impossible.
“He also has a habit of just turning around and wanting to go home.
“Even with Shaun, he has to be led from his stable right onto the track or can back up.”
Nicol said the owners had purchased Post Game for $20,000 from Jayne Davies in Victoria through Ross Olivieri from Perth.
“We sent him to WA, and he won two races, but it was decided to bring him back to Adelaide.
“He no sooner arrived than he injured a leg and had to have a year in the paddock before coming back into work.
“Shaun gave him plenty of work but with such an extended time out of training, he had a lot of fat inside which only would reduce with racing.
“He has slowly improved and today he was able to find the post.”
Johnson did a good job from gate five to settle one-out, one-back with the heavily backed favourite John Vincent holding the front.
Post Game loomed up on the home turn, and the three placegetters raced stride-by-stride, but Johnson lifted his drive to the narrowest of wins.
The impressive Peter Bain-trained Mikis Beauty made it three wins from as many starts since coming from New Zealand in the Ladbrokes Popular SRM Pace (1800m).
Driver Wayne Hill had the four-year-old mare away brilliantly from gate four to find the front and then rated the race as he liked.
A $1.12 favourite, Mikis Beauty won comfortably by 4-1/2 metres from Apieceoflou ($14) with Summerdays ($51) a short half head away third.
Bain said consideration would be given to running the winner in the $25,000 Kevin & Kay Seymour Feature (2230m) at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, December 27.
- Story – Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga