Progressive three-year-old gelding Taken showed his fighting qualities over the concluding stages of the Sportsbet More Places Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday when repelling the challenge of Detroit City.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper was sent out the $4.20 favourite in the hands of Jamie Melham and was given a perfect ride outside the leader.
When asked for an effort mid-straight, the son of Ardrossan kept finding for Melham, who cajoled enough from the gelding as she defeated her husband Ben on the runner-up.
Originally prepared in New Zealand by Sam Mynott, Taken was sold to the Price-Kent stable following a trial win at Tauranga.
Since crossing the Tasman, Taken has not been out of the money in seven starts, with Saturday his second career victory to go with five placings.
“He’s done well this preparation,” Price said. The last preparation, I didn’t think he got 1400m and now he’s getting a mile with four and a bit weeks between runs.
“We were a bit perplexed by the barrier (11), but Jamie had it worked out in her head and the ride helped win the race.
“It was his first try at the mile and he toughed it right out, so he has got a nice bright future if he is well-placed.”
The A$150,000 Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m) for three-year-olds at Flemington on July 5 shapes as a target for Taken.
“I think space between runs helps and the mile is OK and certainly that’s where they funnel the three-year-olds, so he will be a big chance to present there,” Price said.
Jamie Melham brought up a race-to-race double on Taken and has bragging rights in the Melham household tonight.
“I didn’t realise it was him (Ben) and if I did, I would have tried harder,” she quipped.
“It was a very good effort by this horse. I galloped him on Tuesday and said he’s just a bit of a weirdo with his head. He always gets his head up when you let him off the bridle and the team listened and then put the nose roll on him.
“I’m not saying it was the reason why he won, but it definitely helped him. He was very tractable the whole race.
“He had to do more work than I wanted to early, so it was a nice win in the end.
“They were a bit worried about the mile and having to do work on him, but I think he just shouts 2000m every day. Especially because he can land on pace and he can settle and drop the bit and doesn’t spend a penny, so onwards and upwards.”
By Waikato Stud’s emerging young sire Ardrossan, Taken is out of the Henrythenavigator mare Katherine Wright and stems from the same family as Ardrossan’s Group Three winner and Queensland Derby hope Beau Dazzler.
Taken was bred by the Dewar Partnership, which was put together to support Ardrossan when he launched at stud by some people who raced the Group One performed son of Redoute’s Choice. The Dewar Partnership is managed and part-owned by Bruce Perry with Lib Petagna the majority supporter along with Max Brown, Tony Joyce and Dave and Nicki Wilson.