You don’t usually associate Christmas pudding with chopsticks, but it was a winning combination for Emsley Lodge at Warrnambool on Tuesday.
Trainer Jamie Edwards recently flagged five-year-old Chopstick’s impending first-up victory on the Emsley Lodge video report and the result was never in doubt in the Schweppes Maiden Plate (1200m).
“I said a couple of weeks ago on our weekly video there would be a little bit of Christmas pudding with Chopsticks this week and he has got up at 16-1,” Jamie said after the win.
“Anyone who watches the video, I hope would have backed him.”
Having his 16th race start Chopsticks was backed from as much as $31 to win his first race and he looked the winner in the run.
“Everything panned out perfectly for him,” Jamie said.
“He got the absolute gun run and came off their heels at the right time.”
Jockey Jordan Childs hooked out three-wide on Chopsticks from fifth place on the home turn to challenge four-wide entering the straight and the son of Bushranger finished strongly to score by nearly a length from the heavily backed Sacred Sister and Matriarchal.
Childs said Chopsticks took a while to wind up, but the victory would be a good learning experience for the gelding.
“When I asked him, he took a bit of encouraging but he eventually got there,” Childs said.
“He had a bit of a look around when he hit the front but hopefully he has learned bit.”
Chopsticks has always shown good promise and four times has finished second, twice beaten a half-length or less, once in a photo finish.
“He is good first up horse, with a win, a second and fourth from three goes so we want to keep him fresh,” Jamie said.
December 12 2017