A clever front running ride by Tim Clark saw Classic Uniform score an upset win in the Group 3 $500,000 Aqualand Craven Plate (2000m) at Randwick today.
Classic Uniform, above, leads alll of the way to win the Craven Plate at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Gary Moore trained Classic Uniform was coming off a last start win in the Group 2 $500,000 Ilive Appliances Hill Stakes (1800m) at Randwick a fortnight ago with Michael Walker using the same tactics from the front.
Clark was able to slow the pace in the middle stages which proved to be the winning move with Classic Uniform ($21) able to hold off the $2.50 favourite Happy Clapper.
The Chris Waller trained McCreery ($6.50) ran his best race for some time and poked his way through the field to claim third place.
“I got off this bloke the other day but glad to get back on him and glad to win on him,” Clark said.
“He just wouldn’t lie down.”
Clark said that Classic Uniform still had a tendency to hang out in the straight but knuckled down to the task when Happy Clapper loomed up to his outside.
“He wanted to hang out quite bad, but once he sensed those horses on his outside he really dug in. He fought them off.”
