Trainer Chris Waller was able to provide the quinella for the Group 3 $150,000 IGA Liquor Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick today with Higher Ground and Tangled crossing the line with only a breath between.
Tangled ($6) was racing with the blinkers back on and was pushed up along the fence by Michael Walker and looked to be getting the better of his stablemate but Glyn Schofield was able to life Higher Ground ($6) right on the line to get the judge’s decision.
The Victorian three year old Holy Snow ($3.90 favourite) was making his bid down the middle of the track and wound up half a length back in third position.
Schofield had to overcome a back injury that he sustained at the Warwick Farm barrier trials on Friday and no doubt was riding under sufferance.
“It certainly stretched me out a little bit,” Schofield said.
“I wasn’t sure if I had won. He had taken a big step today this fellow and it was nice for him to show a little bit of fight and get there.”
“I thought when he changed legs a hundred from home he was just going to surge and run away from them but the second horse has obvious got Group form behind him and it is hard to get away from those horses that have performed at the top level.”
Tangled was coming off a last start third in the Group 1 $2m Harrolds Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick a fortnight ago while Higher Ground was coming off a restricted class mid week win at Warwick Farm.
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