By MIKE DILLON
The hard luck stories outweighed the good luck in Sir Howard's $150,000 Highview Stud Trophy win yesterday, but co-trainer Peter Hurdle didn't care.
"It's about time my luck changed and it happened at the right time," said Hurdle after Sir Howard out-toughed a flash field in the group two event.
Melbourne jockey Nash Rawiller (Soap Opera), Leith Innes on the second favourite Platonic and Country Rose's jockey Michael Walker felt they were good things beaten, but the winner had to come from a fair way off the pace to get the major money.
"I'm surprised how far off the pace he was," said Hurdle, but winning rider Damien Oliver quickly explained.
"From his wide gate there was no point in going early, he couldn't burn at both ends, so I sat back, cut the corner and headed to the best part of the track in the straight," said Oliver.
Oliver paid tribute to Sir Howard's toughness.
"That other horse [Country Rose] was going to beat us 100m out, but I got into my bloke and he really rallied."
Hurdle said he would set Sir Howard for the Thorndon Mile at Trentham later this month, but he may need a race in the meantime.
The bizarre feature of the race concerned second favourite Platonic.
She made an attack at the lead at the 350m, which rider Leith Innes says was going to carry her to an easy win, when she spotted the signage on the inside of the track.
"One minute she was going forward, the next thing she was going right to the outside running rail."
Platonic may still have finished third or fourth instead of sixth had Innes not had to take complete control of her and virtually pull her up to half pace for the final five or six strides.
"She would have bounced off the outside running rail if I hadn't grabbed her up," said Innes.
Platonic was disqualified from her sixth placing when Innes did not weigh in. He said he was sure she had finished outside the first six.
Trainer Graham Richardson said Platonic was probably in season.
"It's difficult to tell when she is, but watching what happened, I'd say she is."
Had she won yesterday, Platonic was heading to the Waikato Draught Sprint, but she would now take on the Thorndon at Trentham.
Michael Walker felt Country Rose would have won but for being wiped out at the start by her former stablemate Volkaire.
"She lost at least three lengths and I was a lot further back in the field than I wanted to be.
"Perhaps the worst part was that every horse-width further out on the track provided better going and I would ideally have liked to be outside the winner, but being inside him made the difference.
"It was a top run. She's right on track for a race like the Thorndon Mile at Trentham."
Nash Rawiller declared Soap Opera would have won but for having her line taken when Platonic did her sideways dash across the front of the field at the 200m.
Vinny Colgan has been fined $400 for his no-show on the second day of the carnival last Thursday.
Colgan, who found out the day before he has lost his regular ride on superstar Zonda, missed two winning rides by not attending the meeting.
Racing: Luck in short supply for all but Howard
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