Racing
Future History too strong in January Cup
The Ciaron Maher-conditioned Future History has led them a merry dance in the Listed January Cup at Rosehill Gardens.
It may have been an afterthought, but the Ciaron Maher-trained Future History ($3.70) has proven too classy for his rivals in the $200,000 Listed Yulong January Cup at Rosehill Gardens over testing conditions.
After the track was downgraded to a Heavy 8 earlier in the card, connections had to consider maybe scratching the son of Showcasing as he had previously shown better form on top of the ground.
Their decision to start was franked with the eight-year-old leading all the way to salute by ¾-length over Touristic ($4.40). Race favourite Imperialist ($2.80F) was a further 1-¾ lengths back in third place.
Rated perfectly in front by hoop Nash Rawiller, the champion jockey opted to stay closer to the rails where other riders had been preferring to get out wide on the boggy surface.
Stable representative Sam Fitzgerald knew they had the right man for the job.
"We obviously didn't tie him down with too many instructions other than to lead," Fitzgerald said.
"Certainly surprised that he had the rails as close as he did, I thought perhaps it might be off, but you can't question his judgement. He's done it too many times."
It was a master training performance by Maher, with his gelding dropping back 800m in trip from the last-start Flemington victory on December 31.
"It was a last-minute decision to accept in the race and it was a last-minute decision to stay in the race and obviously it's paid dividends," Fitzgerald said.
"Obviously coming off the back of a 2800 metre race he had good fitness under his belt and that was the difference today under the conditions.
"I didn't have too many concerns back to the 2000 metres, obviously the yielding track was a little concern but certainly that is another string to his bow."
Rawiller wasn't as worried about the shifting surface.
"He always felt the winner," Rawiller said.
"Travelled in a lovely rhythm and I just had him close enough to his top when he still is gaining confidence on the track in the run.
"You've still got to have the horse to handle it."
Future History will now likely head to the Listed Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm on January 26.
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