Jumping badly in the $22 000 Euroa Cup over 1412m on Sunday; Fast Plan – with Jaden Lloyd in the saddle – was left back with the pack while the front runners spreadeagled the field going down the back straight.
By the time runners had finished the back turn into the straight all the fancied numbers had virtually pegged the field back.
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At which point Fast Plan was within reach of the leader and another country cup, giving everyone connected with the six-year-old gelding the impression he was back in the hunt.
And that was exactly the point in the race where Fast Plan got into disaster after disaster – explaining why he was sent out at almost 10/1.
Incredibly, after the first incident with Uptown Lilly, Lloyd managed to straighten the horse and get it back in stride and started looking for another gap.
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When the first one appeared he was checked again.
But for the super-patient Lloyd it would be third time lucky – this gap was wide enough and was right in front of him.
Twice Fast Plan was robbed of forward momentum but he just kept coming.
After their ride was badly buffeted from the 500m until the shadow of the post, the Thoroughbred and his jockey were shifting behind the leaders, praying for that one last break.
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When it came Lloyd pushed his ride through, with barely 100m to go; and even then was sandwiched between Uptown Lilly and Vegas Boulevard, which both shifted towards each other at the same time.
With his six wins from 35 starts, Freedman was clearly delighted with the Euroa Cup as well.
He said: “Fast Plan is a horse who knows how to find the line but never before has he wanted victory quite as much as he did here”.
“The tough six-year-old had to overcome plenty of trouble in the running to claim victory in the day’s feature event, the Euroa Cup.”
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Freedman said settling back in the field in the 1412m contest after a less than handy jump, Fast Plan was patiently steered by apprentice Jaden Lloyd.
“But as they approached the turn it was obvious he was going to need luck in the tightly-packed field.
He didn’t get any of that – except for the bits Lloyd managed to conjure up.
“There was not much luck at all in the run home but Fast Plan was determined, ducking and diving for runs and bursting through when the gap came late... such an exciting win.”
The other highlight of the Benalla meeting was jockey John Allen – who picked up a double with a win in the $23 000 Ray White Plate over 1112m and again in the sixth with $22 000 on Steph Ryan’s own race over 1212m.
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