O'Brien maintains winning run
 

Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien continued his positive form when Can’t Be Done edged out King of Hastings in a two-year-old handicap over 1200 metres at Sandown Lakeside on Saturday.

King of Hastings enjoyed an uncontested lead with Can’t Be Done settling outside him – the first 600 metres covered in a pedestrian 39.04 seconds.

The tempo didn’t allow any of the backmarkers to feature in the finish as Can’t Be Done ($5) gradually wore down King of Hastings ($4.20) to win by a short head, the final 600 metres in 34.64 seconds.

Triton Rising ($3.90 favourite) was the best of the rest, closing from the second half of the pack for third, a further 2.5 lengths away.

Can’t Be Done’s victory provided O’Brien with his 28th Melbourne winner this season – with 11 of those wins secured since April - which places him seventh in premiership standings.

Five of O’Brien’s Melbourne winners this season have been in two-year-old races through the likes of Lady Lupino, Absolute Flirt and Moldova.

“We’ve got a really nice bunch of two-year-olds which is really exciting. Hopefully they’ll have a good season next season,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien describes Can’t Be Done as a ‘big, raw All Too Hard gelding’ that’s required patience.

“He is still learning his trade. His first up run at Sale was excellent and he didn’t know what to do the other day (at Caulfield) when he had to flatten out and got beaten a head.

“Obviously he toughed it out today and Jamie (Mott) has done a great job on him.

“I think he’ll get to 1400 metres, possibly a mile, you can see that he’s a big baby that’s enjoying himself.”

Story by Carl Di Iorio, to view full story click here

Pic by Racing Photos