By Neil Evans
In terms of starting prices, the most costly and frustrating galloper in Australia resumes at Tuesday’s feature Tamworth meeting. Again, everything will be crossed.
Russian Standard, a four-year-old son of 2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and fittingly out of a mare by boom US sire Elusive Quality, is still chasing that elusive maiden win nearly two years after his highly anticipated debut at Gosford.
There is an action-packed card at Tamworth on Tuesday.Credit:Bradley Kanaris
That day in February last year when still in the Mark Newnham stable, Russian Standard flopped as a $2.20 favourite.
Incredibly he went straight back to the trials, and over a four-month stretch, won all three by big margins as if to remind everyone in racing what ability he had.
But come race day, those rogue barrier manners resurfaced again in a 2YO Maiden at Kembla as a $3.00 fancy. He landed much further back before finishing off only moderately.
Three weeks later he was taken to the front at Hawkesbury where he was run down late around a similar price.
Russian Standard was given another break, winning a trial as a three-year-old by an incredible nine lengths before being narrowly beaten in a 3YO sprint on heavy ground as a $1.50 favourite.
Again he was forced out before bolting in a trial in early February, but on cue, he found another way to go under narrowly as an easing favourite at Kembla.
That was enough for one stable, and he was transferred north to the Cody Morgan yard at Tamworth, yet after again staring at the country trials, he disappointed as a $1.40 favourite first-up at Muswellbrook before an even poorer showing at Scone in early September.
Not surprisingly, Russian Standard has endured more stewards’ suspensions and veterinary clearances in only seven starts than most horses would in 50.
Yet intriguingly, this time Russian Standard returns without publicly trialling, and for the first time in a long time, he gets a firmer surface in what looks a very winnable Maiden Plate over 1000m.
And just to add to the mix for his large band of owners, Lee Magorrian will become the sixth different race jockey in the gelding’s eighth career start.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
