Sport
14 August, 2024
Boom horse lives up to the hype with a thrilling win
Just Stop It only won by a nose but it was in the fastest race of the year.
A bob of the head at the right time determined the winner of the Class 3 Plate (1000m) at Mount Isa on Thursday, but connections of both the winner and runner-up would have been thrilled with the efforts of their horses.
It was boom horse Just Stop It, trained by Tanya Parry, who got the chocolates in what turned out to be the fastest 1000m race staged at Buchanan Park this year.
However, Le Weasel, who was in front a stride before the finish post and a stride after crossing the line, could be considered unlucky after racing three-wide for most of the journey.
Winning jockey Terrence Hill said it was a great race to be involved with as his well-backed galloper ($2.40) had to get up off the canvas to win by a nose.
“Being on the inside was a bit of a hindrance because we had a lot of speed outside of us and I had to work quite hard to hold my line and not give up the fence,” he said.
“There was a lot of pressure in the straight and my horse had a big heart and had to battle back to win.”
Just Stop It and Le Weasel, along with third-placed Allanon, didn’t stop for a breather.
All three fought hard from the barriers to take the lead, and when Hill held them out on Just Stop It, they refused to yield their pressure.
While Allanon buckled in the closing stages, the Jay Morris-trained Le Weasel kicked clear at the 200m, leading by around a length before Hill responded.
“There wasn’t a big bump it was more the outside runners coming in towards me,” the jockey said.
“It was a matter of balancing him up and letting him find a bit more.”
In what was the race of the year, the inexperienced six-year-old rallied on the fence to win a thriller.
Since arriving at the Julia Creek stables of Parry, Just Stop It has won four of his five races, although they have all been over 1000m.
“I think he can go to 1200 no problem,” Hill said.
“He’s only lightly raced so he will have improvement left in him, for sure.”
Morris, who wished the result went his way, said he might have been beaten by an above-average galloper.
“I think Tanya’s got a nice horse on her hands,” he said.
“I don’t think he was entitled to win after being under that much pressure from the start – and getting headed – and yet he still won.”
The official time was 58.58, making it the fastest 1000m race at Buchanan Park since Han Dynasty won an open race in June last year.