Michael Howard
It was the fairytale result that filled hearts and broke others as Rishi produced an extraordinary last to first victory to end fan favourite Ride High’s winning streak at 11.
Trainer Lance Justice’s hot and cold pacer put in one of his best performance in a race that would mean the world to the legendary trainer – the TAB Smoken Up Sprint, winning by a neck.
The shock result, in which Ride High tired and finished fifth after a blistering middle section, only added to the drama on an eventful night at Tabcorp Park Melton, when the headline race was delayed twice due to “lighting issues”.
For reinsman Mick Bellman it was all worth the wait.
“It’s just fantastic,” he told Trots Vision. “It’s just such a surreal feeling to, ‘A’ just get a drive against the best we have here in the state, and then to conquer them it feels like you have climbed Everest.
“Can’t thank everyone enough, Lance, everyone for the opportunity.”
The race finally got underway at 8.44pm, a tick over an hour after the scheduled start time and Bellman said that presented challenges for trainer, driver and horse.
“I think the general consensus was that it wasn’t going to go ahead and we were just hoping and praying that they could get it to (run),” he said. “All credit to everyone behind the scenes, they’ve done a great job to make the race even happen.
“I stood with Rishi and patted him a fair while when we come back. He was quivering through the flanks and everything. It’s the internal pressure that you don’t see. Some people handle pressure different to others and I’m sure horses are the same.
“For him to come out, have the cart off, go out and come back, it can be unsettling. Just so thankful that it did go ahead and the best horse might have got beat, but it doesn’t feel that way to me.”
From gate nine Bellman settled Rishi in the running line, initially four-back until Ride High took off at the top of the straight with just over a lap to go.
Before they’d reached the start-finish line reinswoman Kate Gath had possied Ride High in the breeze, outside leader Cruz, and everything appear as expected.
Following quarters of 27.8, 28 and 27.3 seconds Ride High broke the leader’s resistance, as he had done to all who had challenged him this campaign, but just as everything seemed on script Clayton Tonkin’s star started to struggle.
He was unable to shake off Major Times at the final turn and by the 100-metre mark his race was run. While most eyes were on the front of affairs, Bellman had made his run and was closing.
“Even when Kate took off three wide, when I looked across at her I thought, he’s going harder than I think she wants him to go,” Bellman said.
“Once I got to the 300 and I was still travelling like I was travelling I thought, ‘I’m going to finish top three here’.
“And then when I got outside them at the top of the lane I thought, ‘I’ve got Ride High covered but I’m not sure about Jodi (Quinlan on Major Times)’.
“And then halfway up the straight I was pinching myself, I thought ‘this is like someone’s put me to sleep and it’s a dream’.”
Come the finish line he’d beaten Major Times by a neck in a 1:50.2 mile rate, with Code Black nine metres back and narrowly holding fast-finishing Sicario out for third.
As well as putting a smile on the dial of Bellman and Justice, the Group 2 win would have also meant the world to owner John Hawke.
“I saw John the night Gavin (Lang) won the Tontine on him, he was over the moon and it was like he pulled off something big, he took the punt (to buy him) and it happened,” Bellman said.
“Tonight I can imagine what he’s like in the lounge chair at home, he would have been up and about.
“This is what we’re in it for, the thrill of it and credit to John to go and spend his money, put his faith into a horse and Lance and everyone and even myself. To have this happen it basically gives the little blokes a good lift.”
