Locally-owned first season hurdler, Highland Blaze, continued his dream first season over the sticks recording his third win from just four starts at Hamilton last Sunday.
Bred by former trainer Jackson Pallot, Highland Blaze was victorious on the feature jumps race on the program, the $75,000 Brendan Drechsler Hurdle over 3400 metres.
Highland Blaze ($3.20) is trained at Warrnambool by former Irish jumps jockey Shane Jackson, who took a quinella in the event with his
higher profile stablemate Loft ($1.90) finishing second.
The race looked to be between Loft and roughies Gambu ($41) and Cool King ($31) as they field jumped the second last hurdle, but Highland Blaze was still in touch and responded well late under the riding of Jordan Hart.
It was a cool ride by Hart who picked through the gaps, his mount bursting through with an impressive turn of foot to snare his first feature success.
His only defeat over the jumps was in the Australian Hurdle when he finished second to The Cunning Fox two back in the Australian Hurdle.
Highland Blaze’s four starts over the jumps have netted connections$128,200 with his next assignment likely to be the time-honoured Grand National Hurdle at Sandown on August 3, worth $250,000.
The race is contested over 4200 metres with the increase in distance likely
to suit.
