Nick Beale enjoyed a career milestone when he landed his first Saturday night win aboard the David Miles trained bolter Rockaway Beach in the Alabar Pace at Melton.
Beale eased Rockaway Beach from his outside front row draw and settled towards the rear of the field before latching onto a three wide trail in the back straight.
Despite being the $126 outsider of the field, Rockaway Beach forged to the lead half way down the straight and held on to score in a thrilling finish with only a head separating the first three horses across the line.
The 26-year-old Beale, who is the nephew of former prominent horseman Jim Beale, said the race played out as he had hoped.
“It’s really good, he stuck his head out at the right time I had the worst person to be running past in James Herbertson in front as he doesn’t let them past very often,” Beale said.
“We got the right run and the race panned out as I thought in being able to follow out Chappy Streetnorth, he was the one I wanted to follow,” he said.
Beale admitted he made his run earlier than he would have liked.
“I probably went a smidgen early but I sort of had to as he swelled up and felt really good on the helmet and when he came off he gave a good pop, but all the other horses were coming quick and we needed that winning post very soon,” he said.
Beale said he had enjoyed a long association with the Miles stable.
“I’ve worked for David on and off for 12 years,” he said.
“I did a school-based apprenticeship and went and worked for Henry Dwyer for three years, came back and worked for David for three years and had six months off and have been back for 18 months and it’s been thoroughly enjoyable.”
