Four-year-old gelding Medieval Man was highly strung as a young horse and wrecked his chances by running his races before he started in them.
But he has matured considerably this year and at Gloucester Park on Friday night he notched his fifth win from ten starts in his current preparation when he took the lead shortly after the start and went on to win the 2503m standing-start Go First Class With Ramsays Horse Transport Handicap.
Medieval Man, third favourite at $3, simply proved too good for Papinik ($2.90) and Louie The Horse ($2.15). Louie The Horse paced roughly for a couple of strides at the start and then had to work hard in the breeze, while Papinik, racing first-up, was not bustled early and raced in seventh position before finishing with a spirited late burst.
“Medieval Man used to pull hard early in his career, and since we have had him in our system, we have worked him pretty hard,” said trainer Michael Young. “This has taken the edge off him and he has matured along the way. He settles now. He has always had the ability but not the attitude. Now he’s got the attitude to go with the ability.
“The reason why I have raced him in stands recently is because he needs to be on the pace. He’s a leader or a breeze horse who doesn’t come from back in the field. But with the probability of starting off 10m or 20m in future stands I will have to consider returning him to mobile events.”
Medieval Man has been prepared by Young for his past ten starts for five wins and three placings. His past four starts have been in stands for three wins and a half-head second to Lawrence. Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has formed a wonderful association with the gelding, having driven him six times for five wins and a third placing at Williams when he was badly hampered by a punctured sulky tyre.
Medieval Man was bred by Graeme Davies, who races him in partnership with his daughters Patrice and Kiara. The gelding has earned $65,076 from ten wins and 12 placings from 51 starts. He is by Renaissance Man and is out of the Bettors Delight mare So Crimsonandclova, who raced 34 times for six wins, seven seconds and one third placing for stakes of $32,253.
by Ken Casellas