Racing: McKee heeds Telegraph message

Sam Spratt urges Mufhasa (outer) to the line ahead of First Command (no 2) and Coup Align (far right) in the Telegraph Handicap. Photo / NZPA

As Sam Spratt flew past the the 900m point on Mufhasa on her way to winning Saturday's $1 million Berkett Telegraph she didn't have time to think of the significance.

She couldn't anyway, because she has no memory that the spot over the inside running rail in the Trentham chute nearly killed her in January 2003.

She was concentrating, instead, on her hope that she had been right in her adamant calls to trainer Stephen McKee to put blinkers on Mufhasa for the first time.

A little less than 60 seconds later she knew she had been.

Mufhasa has always been a topliner, but before Saturday only one of his 12 wins had come in the previous 23 months.

"Sam had been on to me to put blinkers on him for a year," said McKee.

"He wasn't going to run in another million-dollar race, so it was the time to try them."

Blinkers generally make horses race more keenly through the early and middle stages of races - something Mufhasa has always done naturally.

It's a big call to put blinkers on a horse of Mufhasa's type.

Spratt was certain the hood would make him stronger at the opposite end - in the final 300m.

Take a bow.

Just when it looked as though Melbourne sprinter First Command was going to edge clear, Mufhasa grabbed him out wide at the 100m and was so powerful late that he put 1 lengths on the visitor.

To be fair to a very game First Command, Mufhasa had 2kg less, his 56.5kg being his lightest weight, apart from last year's Stradbroke in Brisbane, since the Emirates Stakes in Melbourne in November 2009.

"I'd been reluctant to put the blinkers on in the Railway when he was fresh because if he had over-raced he would have brought everything undone," said McKee.

"If he got going keenly at Trentham at least you've got the wide open spaces and it's not as bad."

Owners David, Simon and Natalie Archer and Diane Wright enjoy their racing and they have a bit more to look forward to in the Waikato Draught Sprint on February 12 then the group one weight-for-age event at Otaki on February 26, which was Mufhasa's last victory before Saturday. "If his form continues we could look at taking him back to Sydney for the George Ryder," said McKee.

Coup Align did a magnificent job to finish third on a surface that was of no use to him and much of the comments from trainer Michael Pitman over the state of the track are unprintable.

In finishing fourth, last year's winner Vonusti had little luck, being hammered back early when Monton jumped sideway at the start.

McKee is almost certainly going to be back at Trentham next Saturday for the Thorndon Mile with Irish Opera, who won Saturday's Mondiale Freight 1600 at Pukekohe by four lengths.

"He's a pretty good horse on his day," said McKee.

"He finished fifth in the Thorndon last year after being three wide for the trip. Wall Street and Tavistock got on his back and followed him through, so he deserves a go again."

McKee was not disappointed in either of his Derby horses Starcheeka or Raffles Knight, despite the pair finishing unplaced at Trentham and Pukekohe.

Starcheeka beat only a couple home, behind Jimmy Choux in the Phill Cataldo Wellington Stakes, Sydney rider Hugh Bowman telling McKee what the trainer already knew, the horse needs 2000m and a decent track.

Raffles Knight lost his spot on the home bend before rallying late to finish fourth over 1600m at Pukekohe, indicating he needs 2000m next time.

TELEGRAPH

Seven years after a near-fatal injury Sam Spratt has plenty to celebrate.

Nothing more so than Mufhasa's Telegraph win on Saturday.

Spratt had strongly advised Stephen McKee to apply blinkers to the now $2 million earner.