GOTCHA: The Gwenda Johnstone trained Mutsuhito, with Nathan Punch at the controls, wins the $20,000 O'Connors Handicap at Manangatang today. Photo: Jay Town/Racing Photos
Echuca’s Gwenda Johnstone knew exactly what she was doing when she loaded just one horse into the float and headed for the Manangatang Cup meeting today.
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Where she saddled up Mutsuhito in the $20,000 O’Connors Handicap over 1550m.
But even she must have had her concerns when the Austy Coffey trained favourite Bower Boy showed no signs of giving up as the field charged down the home straight.
Until the last two strides when her seven-year-old gelding, with Nathan Punch steering, grabbed the leader and hit the line a long neck in front.
It was Mutsuhito’s fourth win in 36 starts and turned around its previous two runs – a seventh at home on September 19 and an eighth in Donald the week before after winning a Kerang jump out on September 1.
Manangatang is a challenging track – for spectators and race callers, with the 1550m start meaning the first part of the race is largely blocked by trees and scrub from the home straight crowd.
So it was hard to tell what was happening through the first 600-plus metres as the race caller struggled to get a good picture of the running.
The Swan Hill trained Conaltri – the rank outsider at 60/1 – put the cat among the pigeons early by racing around the field while other riders were jockeying for position.
WINNERS ARE GRINNERS: Mutsuhito, ridden by Nathan Punch, returns to scale after winning the $20,000 O'Connors Handicap at Manangatang Racecourse today.Photo: Jay Town/Racing Photos)
Mutsuhito was dropped by the early pace, settling a distant fifth as the favourite took up the running, joined by Danzagrunt.
As they came out of the back straight Danzagrunt tried to steal a march but Sarah Field on Bower Boy wasn’t having any of it and tucked into the slipstream.
Just before the 200m Danzagrunt was done and Bower Boy surged to the front and looked every inch a winner.
WORTH THE DRIVE: Mutsuhito, Mick Johnstone and Nathan Punch in the mounting yard after winning the $20,000 O'Connors Handicap. Mutsuhito was the only horse the Johnstone stable took to the Manangatang Cup meeting. Photo: Jay Town/Racing Photos
Punch had drifted Mutsuhito to the middle of the track, looking for clear air, and looked as though he had left it all too late.
But he kept coming and with just metres to run struck his head out and at full stretch blew right on by Bower Boy.
The Helen Burns trained Conaltri, which caused all the early trouble, found a second wind and boxed on gamely to finish third.
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