Promising 4yo ACCREDITED registered his third win from just six career starts at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
The ALL TOO HARD gelding made the most of a textbook ride by Rory Hutchings to win the 1200m BM72 by half a length.
The race time of 1:09.29 was only 0.69 seconds outside a 35 year track record.
ACCREDITED has come along in leaps and bounds since winning on debut in a modest Nowra maiden 6 months ago.
Despite wide barriers plaguing him this preparation, ACCREDITED has maintained a 50% strike rate in his short career to date.
Accredited was strongest late in the final event from Warwick farm!@PrideRacing pic.twitter.com/QN8UPIjjlm
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 10, 2024
He was a slow maturing type who went shin sore three times as a younger horse but now trainer Joe Pride is convinced we are starting to see the finished product.
Ironically, it was at this meeting last year when Proven Thoroughbreds’ top class galloper THINK ABOUT IT won the same race – a 1200m BM72 – before winning his next eight starts culminating in The Everest triumph.
Whilst Pride was quick to dismiss comparisons to THINK ABOUT IT, he believes ACCREDITED can progress to bigger and better races than midweek company.
“This is not THINK ABOUT IT – I can promise you that – but it’s a good omen,” Pride said.
“It was nice to see this horse win because I have a good opinion of him.”
“He’s a progressive horse and has probably nearly done enough for this time around. He might have a little freshen up now and get ready for a winter campaign.”
It was almost a Proven-Pride double at the meeting as LITTLE COINTREAU went down by the barest of margins in the 1400m BM72 Handicap.
ACCREDITED, a $100,000 yearling from Milburn Creek’s draft at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, becomes Proven’s 11th winner in the last five weeks.
