Racing
Wide draw biggest Challenge for Phearson
Brad Widdup won’t be surprised to see Phearson feature in the Winter Challenge.
Phearson hasn't been able to take a trick with barrier draws this preparation but trainer Brad Widdup is convinced the horse is "flying" and can turn his form around with even luck.
The seven-year-old has finished out of the placings in both starts this campaign when he has gone back from awkward draws and again has a wide gate in 10 for Saturday's Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill.
But there was merit in his closing sixth behind Estadio Mestalla in a leader-dominated Winter Stakes (1400m) last time out and Widdup hasn't been able to fault him at home.
"He has been a very frustrating horse all his career but at the moment he's flying," Widdup said.
"It wouldn't surprise me at all to see him run well.
"He just needs a bit of luck. He keeps drawing bad gates. He has been plagued by them."
A fierce-going horse early in his career, Phearson has finally learned to harness his energy, developing into a backmarker in recent starts.
However, Widdup says that has been exacerbated by his draws and would love to see him take a position midfield.
"We never wanted him to be like that (fierce) and we worked hard to get him to settle," he said.
"Now he is settling but he's not getting the right draws.
"I'd love him to begin a bit better. He has been a bit slow away which is not helping either, but bad barriers have probably taught him that."
Tom Sherry partnered Phearson last start and again has the ride on Saturday, while Chad Schofield links with filly Bella Khadija in the Stuart Macdermid Handicap (1500m).
Scratched from the Kensington meeting on Wednesday, Bella Khadija was a dominant first-up winner at her home track of Hawkesbury and Widdup said she had continued to please him.
"It's a hard race but she gets a little bit of weight relief and it's a Saturday race for three-year-olds," he said.
"I don't know if she can come out and win a Saturday race second-up but I just thought it was a better fit than running against older horses on Wednesday."
Handy filly Art's Alive rounds out his team in the MyPlates Handicap (1200m) after resuming with an encouraging third to Hi Dubai at Rosehill two weeks ago.
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