Trainer-driver David Moran took Lochinvar Art behind enemy lines in Ballarat on Saturday night, but it proved a hostile experience for the four-year-old with local Major Times overpowering the Victorian record holder.
Next weekend’s planned showdown with superstar Ride High is now on hold after Moran’s entire endured a tough run and was eventually beaten into third place in the Flying Horse Takeaway Pace.
Moran told Adam Hamilton that Lochinvar Art had pulled up mildly lame in his off front leg and with an elevated heart rate following the 6.7-metre defeat.
“I’ll get him fully vetted tomorrow and we’ll go from there,” he said.
Definitely NO Lochinvar Art at Shepparton v Ride High next Sat night.
Trainer-driver @davidmo22470703 … “He pulled up mildly lame in the off front. Also had an elevated heart rate. I’ll get him fully vetted tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”— Adam Hamilton (@AdamTABSports) August 8, 2020
It was a “teammate” of Ride High’s Cardigan stables that landed the knockout blow. Emma Stewart-trained Major Times scored a long-odds triumph after pressing forward to sit outside Lochinvar Art at the bell and then out-toughing him in the run to the line.
Driver Jodi Quinlan got to work early on Major Times, but he responded to head Moran’s charge early in the home straight and then fended off a late challenge from My Kiwi Mate to score by three metres.
The early burn might have been telling for Lochinvar Art, who was bustled forward early by Moran from barrier 12 and took until the end of the back straight the first time to eventually find the front.
The lead time was a sharp 41.0 and he had nothing left in the tank after quarters of 29.3, 30.5 and 28.7 as the field zipped home in 27.7.
“He did a power of work early. Didn’t think we’d have to do that much. A 41 lead time is like a 26 quarter,” Moran said.
Just off the phone with David Moran:
“Lochinvar Art is getting vetted as we speak. Heart rate looks a bit high. Could mean a virus. Will assess situation immediately after tonight.”
Moran added, “he thrives off tough racing and gets plenty out of these early runs in a prep”— Cody Winnell (@codywinnell) August 8, 2020
Major Times, who is raced in part by Ride High’s owner Peter Gleeson, has now won three on the trot and taken his career record to 18 victories from 41 runs.
Dubbed the smiling assassin in the post-race interview, Quinlan couldn’t have been more proud of her horse.
“This horse is a very good horse and (Stewart’s partner) Clayton (Tonkin) has always said that. He told me basically to drive him fairly confident tonight and thought he was fairly forward,” she said.
“He was winning those races in (regional racing) at Melton and I think people just sort of thought he was probably beating second-raters, but he ran some phenomenal times when he did do that and he proved tonight that he’s up there with the good ones, don’t worry about that.”
