#2021Doomben10000 #HorseRacing #EduardoRaceHorse

Nash Rawiller feared Eduardo was out of petrol tickets but the bulldog fighting spirit of Joe Pride's evergreen sprinter shone through as the Sydney trainer turned back time in the Group One Doomben 10,000.

It was not peak Eduardo but a proud Rawiller said the sprinter did it on “raw heart” at the end of a taxing preparation where it looked like leader would be swamped by the chasing Doomben 10,000 pack.

But Eduardo summoned something from deep within as he fended off all challengers to become the shortest-priced Doomben 10,000 winner ($1.70) in the history of the race.

Pride was equal mixtures of relief and excitement as he returned to the scene of his first career Group One win, where he claimed the 10,000 with Red Oog in 2005.

Eduardo may well book a slot in The Everest off the back of his second career Group One win but in the shorter-term there could also be some big fish to fry for second and third-placed 10,000 finishers Wild Planet and popular Queensland galloper The Harrovian.

Both turned in eye-catching Stradbroke Handicap trials as Wild Planet firmed from $34 to $15 and The Harrovian from $21 to $15 in Stradbroke betting.

But Saturday was a magic moment for the Eduardo camp to savour and Rawiller told how he snatched victory from what at one point looked like could have been defeat as he could hear rival horses starting to swoop.

“I felt Eduardo came here today and just did it on raw heart,” Rawiller said.

“Normally at the 200(m) he has got that two lengths for you, it just makes him so hard to run down.

“But today you could tell he was at the end of his preparation and was a bit flat with a few hard runs under his belt.

“He is the sort of horse now, that although he runs unbelievable sections, he is not as explosive out of the gates as he was once. I had to work a bit to get across.

“He just showed his fighting qualities to come up with the goods.

“We would normally put three lengths on those sort of horses, but he did what he had to do to win today.”

Pride was also in admiration of the never-say-die qualities of his soon to be eight-year-old sprinter.

He admitted he was worried in the run, especially seeing as the Doomben 10,000 was not in the original race planning for Eduardo, who had toppled Nature Strip when first-up in early March.

“It was a bit of an afterthought coming up to Brisbane but his win is a testament to the quality he has,” a relieved Pride said.

“He is a real fighter, it’s not often you see horses who have speed like that who really fight.

“About the 200(m) I was worried, I could see them coming.

“But he showed what a bulldog he is and held them all off, I’m very proud of him.

“He will now have a little break in Queensland before spring.”

Rawiller found himself in the stewards’ room after the Doomben 10,000, fined $1000 for whipping Eduardo 16 times in the duration of the race (two more than allowed under Queensland whip rules).

It was the second time in seven days in Queensland he had been found guilty of excessive whip use, after being suspended when riding at the Gold Coast meeting on the previous Saturday.

The Harrovian, who at one stage won 11 straight races in Queensland before going to Melbourne in a mission which saw him run fifth in the All-Star Mile, ran out of his skin in the Doomben 10,000.

“That was massive,” co-trainer Trent Edmonds said.

“I was always wishing there was a going to be a bit more pressure on the eventual winner.

“But as far as going towards the Stradbroke, that’s absolutely huge.

“He still has a lot of improvement left in him.”

R yan Maloney, who rode runner-up Wild Planet, said: “It was an extraordinary performance first-up, the way he pulled up it didn’t pull the stuffing out of him.

“At the top of the straight I didn’t think I was going anywhere but when The Harrovian levelled up to me, he just jumped out of the ground.

“He was probably a bit stiff in the end, off that he will win a nice race up here.”

There was an early omen it was going to be a good day for Eduardo’s part-owner Gino Loiero when another horse he owns Gee Tee Tee won the opening race at Doomben.

After being desperately unlucky in his previous start, there were no such issues for the Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted trained gelding this time as jockey Ben Thompson settled him back in the field and found clear air at the right time.

Unleashing a powerful sprint, Gee Tee Tee won with ease to bring an early smile to Loiero’s face.

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