By MIKE DILLON
Ross Elliot went out to make sure Money Machine had the last run at the leaders in the Anzac Day Jumpers Flat, but it nearly cost him the race.
Money Machine became trapped in the home straight as the favourite, Esprit Du Nord, dashed clear.
Only Elliot's superb horsemanship forged a gap and Money Machine did his part with a sprint that would not have been out of place in an open handicap.
"He's got to be held up like that, otherwise he gets to the front and puts his head up," said Elliot.
"I rode him in his only hurdle race and got him to the lead too early and he managed to get himself beaten.
"[Today] was a good effort because that other horse had 2 1/2 lengths on us at one stage."
Trainer Neville Couchman said he would wait until the newly designed brush hurdles were introduced before giving Money Machine another jumping start.
"There is apparently a trial with the new hurdles at Paeroa in late May," he said. "Meantime I'll run him in the jumpers' flat at Rotorua on Cup day."
* * *
Royce Dowling wishes it was September, not April.
That would give him six months of dry tracks for his dashing Avondale winner, Dubai Traveller, instead of five months of unsuitable, rain-affected footing.
Dubai Traveller was having only his second start yesterday, the result of getting a virus after his debut second in February.
"It was a real nuisance, half the year's gone," said Dowling.
The astute Cambridge horseman has a big opinion of Dubai Traveller.
"He's way above average. Wait until he gets over more distance than today's 1200m.
"Actually, if Lance [O'Sullivan] had ridden him back instead of outside the leader, he'd have gone 'whoosh'.
"I told Lance to ride him as he saw him and I thought he might drop him back a bit, but he must have felt he needed to be handy."
The name is inspired by one of his part-owners, Nick Robb, a South African now training in Dubai. Robb shares the ownership with studmaster Russell Rogers.
Dowling felt Dubai Traveller would probably struggle once tracks became wet, like most of the stock of Blues Traveller.
"If he handles it [the wet] we'll press on and if he doesn't, we'll have to wait until the spring."
Dowling said it was difficult to judge Dubai Traveller's potential.
"He's such a relaxed horse. You wouldn't know what he's got because he doesn't show you anything in training."
Racing: Money Machine noteworthy
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