Dual Pressure had the perfect lead in to the Gawler Cup with a tough win at Murray Bridge on Saturday, October 11.
Coming from an awkward gate of 11 in a field of 16, jockey Jason Holder elected to go the front in the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1400m) rather than be caught four and five wide.
It proved the right decision as Dual Pressure ($5) could not be run down and scored a half-length victory from Tosen Water ($15) with Angelic Appeal ($16), three-quarters of a length away third.
Trainers Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor have had the $107,500 Holdfast Insurance Brokers Gawler Cup (1500m) on Friday, October 24 as a target for the five-year-old this preparation.
On his Bridge run, the gelding must be a great chance.
Trainer Ned Taylor believes Dual Pressure is headed for a strong preparation.
“Dual Pressure is one we stretched the budget on buying him online,” Taylor said.
“We thought this would be his preparation to shine and it was great to get the win.
“He is a lovely horse with a great action, but he can be a bit quirky and have a think in his races.
“Stubby (Jason Holder) has got to know him better and today we left it up to him.
“We didn’t draw that well and Stubby took the bull by the horns.
“It was great to see the horse out to 1400 metres and really stretching out well.
“We stretched him out in distance today and now it is on to the Gawler Cup, and he should be competitive.
“We were very happy with his first up run in the Wylie, he half got checked for a run and bounced out if it really well.”
Winning jockey Jason Holder said Dual Pressure had been impressive.
“He ran well last start and needed the run,” Holder said.
“Today he raced beautifully.
“He jumped a bit too well and I had to let him go and rode him confidently.
“He has raced close before and been hard to beat.
“I thought he got a bit tired late but did enough to win.
“Going forward he will improve on that because he is a nice horse.”