It took a while, perhaps longer than expected, but consistent 5-year-old ACCREDITED finally graduated to Saturday company.
The son of ALL TOO HARD broke the class record in the 1300m BM78 Handicap at Randwick when narrowly securing his fifth win from a dozen starts that had included a trio of midweek victories on his home track of Warwick Farm.
“ He was very brave,” rider Chad Schofield said.
“He flew the gates, jumped straight into the bridle and took me across from the wide alley without spending much energy.
“That tearaway leader really created a strong gallop and we had to do all the donkey work but credit to our horse – he quickened sharply at the top of the straight and maintained that right to the line.”
Accredited finds to win the last at Randwick today for @PrideRacing and @SchofieldChad 👏@aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/rwgxLO1Kc7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 21, 2024
There was a minor scare for us when Kerrin McEvoy, who rode the runner-up YORKSHIRE, fired in a protest alleging interference at both the 1000m mark and in the closing 100m. Fortunately, the stewards soon dismissed the objection.
Trainer Joe Pride has brought the gelding along very patiently, thrice seeing him succumb to immaturity in the shape of shin soreness.
On the back of Saturday’s success, that patience looks like being handsomely rewarded.
A $100,000 Inglis Premier graduate from Milburn Creek, ACCREDITED advances his record to five wins and four placings from only a dozen starts with prizemoney in excess of $230,000.
The gelding is Proven’s 58th winner for 2024.
