CONSISTENT dog Posh Will scored arguably his best win on the Hobart circuit when he overcame difficulties to emerge triumphant in the Tasfreight Graduation over 599 metres last Thursday night.
It was a brilliant win by the son of Collide as he was squeezed up soon after the start but managed to forge clear and set sail after the leaders Madelin Mac and Katnook Spirit.
Posh Will and Whitney’s World reeled in the leaders by the time they hit the home turn and on straightening the Sandy Elphinstone-trained dog burst clear hugging the rails.
He went on to defeat Whitney’s World by a half length with the long odds-on favourite Miss Hetti over two lengths astern.
It was Posh Will’s 12th career win and third on the Hobart circuit from 14 tries.
“Ï was very happy with that run because he was crossed and caught wide for the first 50 metres and for a moment I thought he might be in trouble,” Elphinstone said.
“But he got clear and chased the leaders and when he went to them he was very strong.”
“There was a lot to like about the win,” she said.
Posh Will is owned by trainer-breeder Alan Clark but the dog has been in the care of Elphinstone ever since he was broken in.
“I’ve become quite attached to the dog.”
“Alan (Clark) had someone ring up wanting to buy Posh Will so he rang me and said it was up to me if the dog was sold but I just couldn’t let him go so Alan didn’t sell him,” she said.
Posh Will has won over all distances but Elphinstone says the dog is best over middle distances.
“The dog is definitely more comfortable at the middle distances so that’s where I try to place him these days although he is very good over 515m in Launceston.”
Posh Will had a tendency to be a bit field shy in his younger days but the trainer says he’s improving with age.
“He was a mad railer, and still is, but early on he wouldn’t go around dogs.”
“He’d sit and wait for runs but these days he is starting to be a bit more flexible and shows a lot more track sense and that’s what he showed in this run,” she said.
The owner is keen for Posh Will to be tried in Melbourne and Elphinstone confirmed she is likely to take him for a series of races over 600 metres.
“Alan (Clark) is keen to try him interstate so when that time comes I’ll be taking him over because I don’t want to let him out of my hands,” she said.
While Posh Will was impressive in winning at his latest outing, the run of the favourite Miss Hetti was also full of merit.
Miss Hetti began only fairly from box two and was crunched on the first turn sending her straight to the rear and about 15 lengths off the leader.
Miss Hetti tacked on at the 340-metre boxes and weaved a passage through the field and was doing better than anything else on the line.