Five-year-old gelding Blacklist (NZ) (Redwood) has provided connections with a quick return when winning the TAB Country Classic (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Identified by Queenslander Luke Berger, Blacklist has had four trainers throughout his career, starting as a Waipa trial winner for Cody Cole before joining Ciaron Maher, then Richard Laming before a private sale to Queensland Luke Berger and joining the stable of Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith.
“When he walked in the door, we worked out a program, and this was his mission,” Griffith said.
“A race for country-trained horses. He’s only won three races, so he was thrown in at the weights and he’s won over 2400 at Sandown so he can stay all day.”
Blacklist came from midfield under Jockey Tim Clark and powered through the line to score comfortably.
“We spoke before the race that this horse had a good grounding so if the race became a real test, he’s the horse that would be strong at the back end of the race,” Clark said.
“I set him alight a bit early but I trusted that he had a good grounding and he’s be tough at the back end when I needed him to be.
“I was out in the three wide line down the side but that gave me the opportunity to get moving when I wanted even though I was a bit wide.
“If I’d have stayed where I was I would have had to wait to go, I wanted to get the revs up and get him mobile because I knew he’d sustain it.”
Blacklist fended off the challenge of race favourite Tavros (Bull Point) to win by a half-length with 1-1/4 lengths back to Hibiki Harmony in third.
Griffith said Blacklist would now head for a spell.
“He’s a definite country cups horse,” he said. “He’s not top level; he’s next level down.
“I think we are going to have more fun with him.”
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Blacklist is by Redwood out of the unraced Encosta de Lago mare Pure Light (NZ), who stems from the fast family of Light Up The World.