Diesel blew the start by three lengths but was good enough to win $80,000 Albury Guineas (1400m) with a barnstorming finish along the rails on Friday.
In arguably the best performance of the Albury Cup Carnival, the wayward son of Vinery legend More Than Ready (USA) tacked on to the field for apprentice Hannah Edgley and they didn’t go around a horse to grab a last-stride victory over Fox Appeal (Foxwedge).
Diesel had also done it the hard way winning a home-track maiden for Wangaratta trainer Ben Brisbourne on New Year’s Eve. He was subsequently gelded but there remains an errant streak in his behaviour.
“Gee whiz, he’s exciting to watch but when he missed the kick I felt like I was dying,” Brisbourne admitted. “The last place I wanted him to be was last on the fence with no galloping room. Everything went wrong but he still had the sheer raw talent to sneak through and snatch it on the line.
“He’s just a big kid and Hannah had to get him out of trouble to win his maiden. There’s so much more improvement and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet. I think he can keep progressing and be a proper 2000m horse.”
Diesel (3g More Than Ready – Mineko by Fastnet Rock) is owned by Trilogy Racing’s Jason and Mel Stenning and is one of a dozen horses prepared for the NSW Central Coast couple by Brisbourne. Bred by Vinery partners Steve McCann and Neil Werrett, he sold for $80,000 at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
He’s a member of More That Ready’s penultimate southern crop conceived at Vinery. The cross with Fastnet Rock has generated 22 individual winners headed by Group 3 winners Global Quest (ATC Breeders’ Plate) and Ready Set Sail (VRC TBV Stakes).
Diesel’s dam Mineko won at Canterbury (2), Warwick Farm and was Stakes-placed at Scone. Her first named foal Peak To Peak (More Than Ready) has won twice at Sha Tin for Frankie Lor and her latest include unraced 2yo gelding Ima Star Too (Star Turn) and a yearling colt by All Too Hard.
Hannah Edgley had final word after the Albury Guineas presentation. “Ben has always had a high opinion of Diesel. The horse did himself no favours at the start but I wasn’t too stressed. He has such a big motor and I knew he would be in the finish.”
