Game performance by Thebudgiesmugla

[Wandering Eyes]

Progressive stayer Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) (Redwood) showed his versatility when winning his second race at Rosehill in the space of a couple of weeks for trainer Bjorn Baker.

The five-year-old son of Redwood was gallant on Saturday carrying 59kg topweight under Dylan Gibbons when winning the Chandon Handicap (2400m) on a Good track, having saluted last start on soft ground.

Given a good ride by Gibbons, Thebudgiesmugla was taken out of his comfort zone when the pressure came on early but still proved too good.

“He is just an out-and-out stayer,” Gibbons said.

“He’s a funny sort of horse. It was a completely different race to the other day, where I had a lap full of horse.

“The two times I have ridden him on top of the ground, he is just a casual bugger.”

When War Ribbon took off with 800m to run, Gibbons was forced to push forward three-wide and he had enough in the locker to defy Claim The Crown (Acclamation) and Sting In The Tail (NZ) (Savabeel).

“Because the move was about a 100m sooner than I would have liked, the last hundred he was out on his feet, but he has pure stamina,” Gibbons said.

“I was always subconsciously aware that when you are on the favourite, people are always trying to do what they can to beat you.

“I had my guard up and he was able to get out when I needed to. Full credit to the horse, he was able to ping off the mark and then sustain a long gallop.”

Raced by Darby Racing, Thebudgiesmugla was a private purchase from New Zealand where he won two races for original trainer Jo Rathbone.

Rathbone paid just $3,000 for the son of Redwood who was sold via gavelhouse.com as a broken-in gelding.

Bred by Bradbury Park, Thebudgiesmugla is out of the winning Keeper mare Hot Pants.

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