3 minute read
British Columbia handles heavy track with ease at Sandown.
Concerns about the wet track conditions for British Columbia have been dispelled with the gelding registering a strong win at Sandown.
Now trainer Grahame Begg may look to something a little more prestigious with the gelding following his win in the Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday.
The Winter Championship, with heats run on various country tracks and a final at Flemington in July may now come under consideration for the four-year-old who was having his first run since running second at Moonee Valley on All-Star Mile Day in March.
Ridden by Jordan Childs, British Columbia ($5.50) scored a 1-¼ length win from Brayden Star ($7) with Kooled ($7.50) a further 2-¾ lengths away third.
"It's an option," Begg said of the Winter Championship.
"It's the right distance range, 1400 to 1600 metres. He's in line for something like that as he takes a lot of luck out of the equation as he races on the speed."
Begg said he sent British Columbia for some 'R & R' following the Moonee Valley contest with the expectation the gelding would run at Flemington on Anzac Day.
But that meeting was called off following the death of jockey Dean Holland in a race fall at Donald the previous day.
"This race came up and it looked the ideal race for him," Begg said.
"His record at 1400 metres at Sandown is very good. He's a very genuine horse but we didn't know if he would get through the Heavy 9 today because he had only been on a Soft 6 at worst.
"It was a bit of a fork in the road today as to whether we would keep in work for the winter.
"But the way he went and the way he travelled through it, and being the last race, there's no reason why he couldn't have another run or two."
