Racing: Showy Ego proves too good

Photo / Christine Cornege

Ego ran his rivals into submission when scoring a determined front-running victory in the $85,000 (Group Two) New Zealand Bloodstock Concorde Handicap at Ellerslie yesterday.

The showy 5-year-old entire powered straight to the front for Paul Taylor and sealed the victory with a closing 600m lead sectional time of 34.55s giving those runners beyond midfield no winning chance.

Ego kicked clear of the field with 200m remaining and lasted in determined fashion scoring by a neck from the fast closing Amaryllis, who powered through the middle of the field in the home stretch.

A further 1 lengths away in third position was Vonusti who powered home down the extreme outside of the track.

"He got a flyer at the start and I didn't want to go too hard too early in the race but he's such a strong fella that he's better allowed to roll into it," said Taylor after the race.

"I had a look at the replay of his last-start this morning and he sweated up a bit before the start and he did it again today but not as bad.

"There's still plenty of improvement in this horse."

Byerley Park-based trainer Ben Foote was enjoying a satisfying Group Two winning performance at Ellerslie.

"I've always known this horse has had the ability to win a big race but he's an entire and sometimes his mind's not on the job on race day.

"We sent him over to Australia to race on the better tracks in the winter and it's a great feeling getting this victory today," Foote said.

My Diamond Bracelet capped a run of consistent performances with a well-deserved victory in Rating 70 class.

The 4-year-old daughter of Al Akbar was given a dream on the pace sit three places deep on the inner and saved round in the home stretch sprinting powerfully along the rail to reel in the leading division.

Apprentice jockey Jason Collett could not believe his luck when runners in front of him rolled off the rail including the favourite Lemonade and Mydiamond Bracelet lengthened stride impressively scoring by 1 lengths.

Lemonade fought on in determined fashion to finish second a half-head clear of the fast closing Via Veneto (third).

"She's a very genuine mare and we'll now turn her until the autumn as the tracks may be getting too hard for her," said trainer Graham Richardson.

"Jason rode her very well as he saved a lot of ground staying against the rail and she let down and sprinted well on a track that I wasn't confident she could that on."