By MIKE DILLON
Michael Walker got excited then disappointed at Tauranga on Saturday.
The apprentice sensation copped a real buzz out of maintaining an unbeaten association with Arduous early in the programme then had his adrenalin levels lowered with a four-raceday suspension which will impact severely on his record-building tally.
But long after the suspension is forgotten Walker will be thrilling to his association with what is definitely a rising star.
Make no mistake how big this win was.
Arduous, veteran of only four starts, has jumped from C1 two starts ago to carrying topweight on Saturday in a PQ event which would be less notable if it had not been for the ridiculous ease with which she won after sitting four and five wide throughout.
"This is a very exciting horse," said Walker, in his usual underplayed style.
"What's exciting about her is you just don't know what she's going to do. This was a big step up for her, but she handled it easily.
"She's still a weak horse muscle-wise and she could be freakish with another year on her."
While Arduous' form is on rain-affected footing, Walker believes the mare will be even better on a track with just the cut in it.
"She sprints remarkably well off ground like that - imagine how she'll sprint when she can get real footing with just the sting out of it.
"The other impressive feature about her is that she doesn't really get going until the last 200m. At the 600m I was wondering if she could kick on after sitting wide but from there it was never in doubt."
Trainer Ralph Manning and owner, Dunstan Feeds boss Dave Smith, now have to decide whether to take the mare for some fillies and mares races in Melbourne.
The problem they have is Arduous has come a long way very quickly and partly because of a series of wide barrier draws has yet to prove she can race successfully locked away in a field.
"She has yet to be smothered in a field, but at Awapnui last start we sat outside the leader and she had a horse on her outside, half a length back, and she didn't seem to mind that, so perhaps she'll be okay," said Walker.
* * *
If you could bottle the fun David Murray is having out of Blown Away you wouldn't have to work for a while but it has taken a time to fall into place.
Thirty odd years ago he paid 60 guineas for Blown Away's grand- dam Greta Marlin so he could have his one and only amateur ride at a Reporoa picnic race meeting.
"I had to drop two and a half stone in two weeks to make the weight and we won," Murray said.
It was hardly a blue blood pedigree and Blown Away looked nothing out of the ordinary until recently but rider Mark Du Plessis is now a huge fan.
He told Murray after an intermediate race at Te Rapa that Blown Away would win five races this winter, one of them a major event.
With the Cornwall Handicap and Saturday's $40,000 Kiwifruit Cup already in the bag, Du Plessis admits even that statement was conservative.
"I thought the track might prove a bit good for him today and he surprised me just how well he won.
"I definitely underrated him. This horse is very smart. Mr Murray should take him to Australia - he'd win a decent race there.
"He'd also run 3200m, but to be fair, the wetter the better."
Chase Alida tried hard under his topweight, but Blown Away, beautifully ridden by Du Plessis, was far too smart on the day.
* Melbourne apprentice Reece McLeod, who made his New Zealand debut at Tauranga, will stay on for Wednesday's Cambridge meeting and Avondale on Saturday.
Racing: Brakes go on Walker's wonder season
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