$51 roughie Investment shocks rivals at Randwick but trainer Joe Pride gave her a ‘sneaky chance'
Investment was a genuine roughie starting at $51 but trainer Joe Pride gave the mare a 'sneaky chance' before she caused a huge boilover at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The four-year-old was her sire So You Think's third winner of the day, following on from Glad You Think So and Oh Diamond Lil, when taking out the TAB F&M Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m).
'I thought she could improve a bit today. I said to a few people she had a sneaky chance,' Pride said.
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'She was fitter, she looked really healthy and a bit of cut in the ground were all pointers to a better performance.'
Pride rated Andrew Atkins steer aboard Investment as a '10 out of 10 ride' praising the jockey's boldness during the middle stages of the race as the key to victory.
'Plan A was to be midfield or forward but that was short lived as there was quite a bit of pressure early but she adapted to Plan B which was to get back and let her settle,' Adkins said.
'I thought if I could make a move at a point of the race when they were not making ground it would be to her advantage and that point was at about the 600m when I got on my bike and my the time we got into the straight I'd passed half of the field and we had a bit of momentum up.
'I was able to idle up, she was more than willing to do it and it saved us about five lengths.
'In the straight she really wanted to do it, she tried really hard and we just got the better of the other horse late in the piece.'
• 'Very exciting' Glorious Moments can end trainers' black-type wait
Investment ($51) defeated the Brad Widdup-trained Hasty Honey ($10) by a long head with Nana's Wish ($5.50) three-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
Pride has no ambitious plans lined up for Investment this preparation but he hopes the mare can continue to strengthen and improve over the next year and when winter roles around again in 2026, he may have his sights on bigger targets.
'She's always been a reasonably promising staying type of mare so it's nice to get a Saturday win with her,' he said.
'You'll see her at her best over 2400 metres and this was only her 18th start so I still don't think we've seen the best of her.
'Maybe this time next year is when she'll be at the absolute top of her game.
'While ever the tracks remain wet, she should continue to race well now as she appreciates these types of track.'
The $2.60 favourite in the race She's Unusual struggled in the testing conditions, one of the first runners beaten when weakening in the straight to finish seventh.
Originally published as Trainer Joe Pride's faith in Investment was rewarded as $51 outsider claims victory at Randwick
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