Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
A complete change of tactics by gifted driver Maddison Brown proved highly successful when five-year-old Arma Einstein gave an excellent frontrunning performance to win the $30,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Westbred Autumn Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A week earlier Brown restrained Arma Einstein at the start (from barrier five) to race at the rear before bringing the gelding home with a powerful sprint from eighth at the bell to win from Kimble and Eldaytona.
Arma Einstein again began from the No. 5 barrier on Friday night’s event, but this time Brown urged Arma Einstein forward to take up the running after 250m. The lead time was a slow 38.2sec. followed by ambling opening 400m sections of 32.4sec. and 30.3sec.
Arma Einstein, the $2.70 second fancy, then sprinted over the final quarters in 28.6sec. and 27.9sec. to win by almost a length from the $2.25 favourite Eldaytona, who enjoyed an ideal passage, one-out and one-back, before finishing with a solid three-wide burst over the final 500m.
“Dad (trainer Colin Brown) said that the plan was to stay in front of Eldaytona, the main danger, who had drawn the No. 7 barrier,” said Brown. “From the draws I thought that the only way we could beat Eldaytona was to set the pace.
“I thought that there was every chance that Wait For The Bell (the polemarker) would be crossed at the start, and that we could get to the front without too much trouble. And once in front we got away with a fair bit.”