Aaron Bain Racing | Aaron Bain News 62068 Weekend Victories

An excellent weekend for Aaron Bain Racing with winners at both codes.

On Saturday at Morphettville, promising staying galloper BEACH PAD had a tough run but was still too good.

In winning, it took ABR’s metro stakemoney for the season past the $1million mark, a feat of which ABR is proud.

Jockey Jason Holder admitted it was not his best ride, but the WA-owned galloper persevered and showed a ton of grit to win well.

On the harness front, trainer Peter Bain came up with an ABR treble.

On Friday, with the family matriarch Val, Bain made the trip to Mildura to win with HILLTOP BLOSSOM – a real family filly.

Her dam is the successful Hilltop Rose, a Ladyship Stakes winner as a two-year-old when driven by Aaron Bain.

Her mother is Carnival Rose, a successful racing filly, then mare, which has continued a strong winning line in the breeding barn with four foals – all winners.

HILLTOP BLOSSOM sat parked but ground out a tough half head win the Park Douglas Printing Maiden (2190m).

With that win, the filly is headed to the paddocks for a break and the hope is she will come back among the best of her age.

Ex-New Zealand mare LA MOTH was outstanding in notching her seventh win from 10 starts for ABR.

In probably her best win, the six-year-old mare did it tough before drawing clear for a three-metre win in the Table Of Knowledge Pacing For Pink Pace (1800m).

Coming from gate five, reinsman Wayne Hill elected to sit three wide early before trying to move forward and take the spot outside the leader. But Clarenden Tribute, which was there, started to race keenly and it took some effort before LA MOTH got to her preferred spot in a quick quarter of 29 seconds.

After an easier 31.4 second quarter, the tempo of the race lifted with 58.8 second last 800 metres.

LA MOTH, backed from $2 into $1.70, drew clear to win from Sky Fawkes ($13) with Vatican Green ($23), 5-1/2 metres away third.

Winning reinsman Wayne Hill was full of praise for LA MOTH which was purchased from New Zealand by Aaron Bain Racing in partnership with Summit Bloodstock.

“After the hard work early, I thought it would be a good effort just to run a place,” Hill said.

“She loves to win and when the challenges came she found more stamina and ended up winning very well.”

Then at the Sunday Globe Derby Park twilight meeting ALOHA PRINCESS made a winning debut in the Ladbrokes Mates Mode Pots Pace (1800m).

Backed from $2 into $1.33 favourite, ALOHA PRINCESS sat parked before taking the front and going clear off the back to win by seven metres.

No runners for ABR at Wednesday’s Balaklava meeting but we will be at the track on Thursday for trials with a strong representation as a number of our younger horses step out.

Then, on to Morphettville Parks on Saturday as we close in on our 100^th winner.

Already this season, we are up to 20 metro winners at a strike rate of 19%.

ABR Weekend Star

ABR loves it when it is a tough choice to select our Weekend Star and that was the case to end May.

In a photo-finish call, BEACH PAD got the verdict.

Promising staying four-year-old overcame a wide run to notch his third win for trainers Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor since coming from Western Australia.

BEACH PAD covered ground and held off a late challenge to take out the $65,000 Fleurieu Milk Company Handicap (2042m).

Ridden by Jason Holder, BEACH PAD ($2.40 fav) scored by a quarter-length from Magnetic Edge ($9.50) with Smiling Assassin ($41), 1-1/4 length away third.

The four-year-old ran right up to his previous start when a gallant second to star three-year-old Party Crasher at Morphettville on May 3.

BEACH PAD jumped from gate six in a field of nine and settled towards the tail of the field but was caught wide.

Holder allowed him to improve to be just behind the leaders turning for home, then asked him to go for home.

No sooner had BEACH PAD found the front than the runner-up issued a strong challenge, but the ABR four-year-old responded to Holder’s riding to find the winning post in front.

Trainer Aaron Bain said BEACH PAD was an impressive staying prospect.

“It was a lovely win, and he showed plenty of heart,” Bain said.

“He showed great fight after being three wide the trip.

“Jason (Holder) didn’t panic and let the horse be comfortable.

“BEACH PAD was very strong late and deserved the win after covering ground.

“He has continued to step up and go to another level.

“We now potentially might wait three weeks and go to a 2500 metre race.

“There are certainly better races on the horizon for BEACH PAD.

“Onwards and upwards.”

Winning jockey Jason Holder admitted it had been not his best ride.

“First place is great,” Holder said.

“You can put in a crook one and still win, that is what happened out there.

“I got one off the fence then another rider came up on my inside and I was three wide the trip but kept him balanced and didn’t panic.

“The horse did a terrific job, he is well trained by Aaron (Bain) and Ned (Taylor).

“He didn’t have soft run and what I liked about him was his determination when I asked him.

“If he wasn’t trying he would have given up, but he really fought on nice.

“He raced really well today.

“It was a good deserving win for BEACH PAD.