By MIKE DILLON
A year ago Bryan Wadham badly broke a hip in a trackwork fall at Takanini and on one level he can find a positive in that.
It keeps him off the back of On Vacance, his galaxy kids.com Juvenile winner at Ellerslie on Saturday - something which he figures could save him further injury.
"He's one tough customer," said Wadham after On Vacance got home in a cliffhanger with well-fancied Elevenses.
"He was a nightmare to break in and he's still as bad, he bucks and kicks every morning."
That toughness was very handy in Saturday's testing conditions.
Despite his antics, On Vacance's main attribute is vastly different, according to winning rider Sarah Boyd - his professionalism.
"He's the most professional horse you could imagine for a 2-year-old," said Boyd.
"When the gap opened on the rail I didn't have to do anything, he just charged through and did it all himself."
On Vacance certainly has plenty of go forward. It looked certain that well-fancied Elevenses, wide on the track, would run him down inside the last 100m, but he clung to a hairline margin.
At least that was the perception watching it live and again on video replay.
Elevenses' rider Linda Ballantyne had a different perception and couldn't believe she was watching the same race on the replay.
"You can't believe how different the perspective is when you are out there and they are that wide apart. I was sure I was a head in front with 100m to run, yet watching the replay you'd swear I was never in front."
On Vacance is a half brother to former smart mare Kiss and despite rating him very highly, Wadham is shy about exercising a right of purchase he has on the lease.
"When I had Great Chevalier he won the Ryder Stakes and the Foxbridge Plate. Straight after that we paid $25,000 for a right of purchase and he never won another race."
On Vacance will also head to the Ryder, while Elevenses is likely to back up at Tauranga on Saturday and is one to stay with. Her determination in Saturday's tough finish, although unsuccessful, was just as impressive as the winner's.
Racing: Tough guy wins through
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