A copybook ride, inspired placement and a rain softened surface combined to produce TAKE A BOW’s fourth win Friday night at the Sunshine Coast in the 1000m BM70 event.
Jockey Andrew Mallyon cleverly followed the favourite OOHLALOUVRE everywhere in the run, before peeling off its back at the 300m mark to give TAKE A BOW the last shot at victory.
Mallyon timed the run to perfection as TAKE A BOW nabbed the favourite right on the wire.
“I was really pleased with her in the sense that she did everything right,” Mallyon said.
“She was really good pre-race and in the barriers and then jumped away well which we know has cost her in the past.
“I was able to track the favourite. That was what we set out to do and she was able to execute it perfectly.
“And I thought she was really effective being ridden in that manner – getting a drag into it, coming off their backs and showing a good turn of speed.”
The enigmatic mare has always shown above average ability but like so many horses, figuring out what works best, is more often than not established through trial and error.
Trainer Matt Hoysted, though realising she was a sprinter, has tended to mix her distances from 800-1200m throughout her 15 start career. The 4yo daughter of ROYAL MEETING, appears to have finally landed on a pattern.
Soft tracks have seen her score 4 wins from 7 goes, the Sunshine Coast circuit has yielded 3 of those wins and a placing from 5 trips up there whilst 5 attempts at the 1000m trip have returned a 2-0-2 record.
Friday’s success also represented an inspired decision by Matt to back TAKE A BOW up quickly after running 4th at Doomben over 1200m just 9 days prior.
A $40,000 yearling from Bell River at the 2023 Adelaide Magic Millions Sale, TAKE A BOW has now earned $114,050 in prizemoney and becomes Proven’s 14th winner for the season.
