A star emerged from the relentless drizzle that soaked Melton, where District Attorney displayed top tier talent with a withering sprint to capture victory and affirm there were many more to come.
Blake and Ted Caruana’s brilliantly bred four-year-old, a half-brother to million-dollar horse Cruz Bromac, understandably cost a pretty penny but is rewarding that investment and bringing plenty of delight.
That was certainly the case Saturday night when in Mick Bellman’s hands he ripped home from last to first to capture the Download The TAB App Pace and zero in on triple-figure stakes earnings.
“He really showed his colours tonight,” Bellman told TrotsVision. “He was phenomenal to come that far from behind on a wet track and finish off in 27 and a bit – he’s gone sensational.”
District Attorney was three deep in the three-wide train with 800 metres to go and Bellman showed patience before setting him alight off the home turn, briskly demolishing all in his path to score.
The widest runner on a rain-soaked track, he got home in a 27.2-second final quarter to win by 1.6 metres from La Captain.
“I think if he was on a dry track he would have gotten home in 25 the way he felt,” Bellman said.
“He was jogging around the turn. I thought ‘I’ve got to go now, there’s no opportune time, I’m going to be wide and deep’. I just had to use that good 200 that I know he’s got in him. He’s as quick as anything over that distance if you can save him up.
“It’s a good thrill to be able to back him that he’s going to put you into the race when you need to and be able to use his speed.”
It was also “a good thrill” for connections, with Ted Caruana not only co-trainer with son Blake but also the owner.
And according to Bellman their loving every minute of District Attorney’s emergence, with tonight bringing his ninth win from his 19th outing.
“They love it. Every win’s like their first and they treat it like their last. They don’t leave anything in the locker with their celebrations and they just make it special,” he said.
“(District Attorney’s) starting to round up and look a bit more mature in himself. Great to Blake and Celeste and Ted for giving him that time, you can get fooled into the trap of racing him too much too early, but I think it’s going to pay dividends by not going in everything early days.”
Michael Howard
