True Grit

Classy middle distance galloper At The Heads continued on his winning way at Caulfield on Saturday with a gritty performance in the final event on the program.

The striking dark colt hit the lead entering the straight in the 1400m event before holding off a late challenged from the well-backed Shadowfax with outsider From The Terrace storming into third from back in the field.

The win gave apprentice jockey Jason Maskiell a winning double at the meeting and took the son of Hussonet’s career stake earnings past $169,000 with his fourth win from just nine starts.

Trainer and part owner Danny O’Brien was pleased with the horse’s second straight win.

“We have always had an opinion of him and it looks like being patient with him is starting to pay off,” O’Brien said.

Maskiell eased out of the early speed battle to settle At The Heads in the one-out, one-back position before taking him to the lead at the top of the straight as the leaders weakened.

“He didn’t get many favors today and the others had their chance to run him down as we were a sitting shot half-way down the straight, but he dug deep and proved too good,” Maskiell said.

“I rode him as a three-year-old and he has grown a lot since then and is now a much better horse.”

O’Brien plans to continue to run the four-year-old through his classes before considering any better race and the 1400m restricted 0-89 event at Flemington on January 22 is likely to be the horse’s next start.

Photo by Slickpix, to view Slickpix website click here