FORMER veteran harness trainer-driver Don Peck will continue to resist the temptation to throw his talented three-year-old Jay Bardon in at the deep end.
Jay Bardon scored arguably his best win in Launceston on Sunday night when he came from near last to score a runaway win in the Chartley Estate Invitation Drivers race over 2200 metres.
The races was tagged as a match between the highly promising Thirsty Mach and former New Zealand three-year-old Itsallagame with the latter firming to start the $1.90 while Thirsty Mach was crunched at the deathknock to start $2.40 on SuperTab.
Itsallagame (Falcon Seelster-Plat Du Fair) showed blistering speed to lead from the pole mark while Thirsty Mach’s driver John Caldow was quick allow his charge to face the breeze at the leader’s wheel.
But uncharacteristically Thirsty Mach reefed and pulled so hard he eventually choked down and was a spent force before the home turn.
Itsallagame, prepared by Brent Lilley at Melton in Victoria, also tired badly and finished out of a place.
It was Jay Bardon that showed star qualities as he sustained a run that started 500 metres out to grab the lead halfway up the straight and went on to score by three metres from Karalta Lady with outsider Lugavoi Leis a closing third but over five metres away.
Peck, who owns and races Jay Bardon in partnership with the gelding’s trainer Barry Freeman, said there were no special plans for his three-year-old.
“I’ve never had any intention to rush this horse and running in derbies has never been on the agenda,” Peck said.
“We are happy to just plod along with these types of races and as this was a non-penalty race he’s still eligible to win another three-year-old race so that’s the bonus for us in missing a race such as the Tasmanian Derby.”
“I’m not saying the horse isn’t up to that level, I’m just saying we aren’t interested in contesting those sorts of races at this stage of his career,” he said.