Four-year-old Just Bolts overcame what appeared unsurmountable odds to score a stunning comeback victory at Werribee on Friday.
A race fall at Stony Creek 15 months ago threatened to end his career with trainer Jamie Edwards conceding that one stage he thought the son of Winning Rupert would never race again.
“Just to get the horse back to races has been a massive effort by all the staff, including the vet and our farrier Tony Alder,” Jamie said.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the whole team because the horse was pretty much finished due to all sorts of problems after the fall.”
Troublesome feet proved a major challenge, but Tony Alder worked wonders to alleviate the soundness issues.
“The horse was in and out work but when Tony came on board he said, ‘I’ll fix this horse’ and he did,” assistant trainer James Edwards said.
Just Bolts has been working brilliantly with Tango Jewel who recently posted consecutive city wins but Jamie was reluctant to declare the gelding would win at Werribee.
“History tells you horses after a long break take a couple of runs to come back so this win is a real bonus for all his patient owners,” Jamie said.
Only twice had Just Bolts missed a place in his first six runs, including his fall, and his return to racing was made all the harder with $1.50 favourite Villa Royale dominating betting while Just Bolts drifted from $5.50 to $8.50.
Despite the lack of love from punters, Just Bolts began brilliantly and had a narrow lead in a three-wide line passing the 600 metres while Villa Royale was four lengths off the pace.
Approaching the turn, Jockey Craig Newitt had a good hold of Just Bolts who put the race away when he found another gear early in the home straight and dashed 2-1/2 lengths clear.
Villa Royale emerged with a late challenge, but he was no match for Just Bolts who was eased down in the closing stages to score by 1-1/2 lengths in the Werribee Centrals Football Club Maiden Plate (1110m).
Craig Newitt, who was on another horse when he saw Just Bolts crash over a fallen horse at Stony Creek, praised the stable’s efforts to have the horse so well “prepped” for his return.
“It’s a fair effort to get this horse back after Stony Creek,” Craig said.
He said the Just Bolts had lost none of his confidence and that with the pattern of racing at Werribee he was happy steer him away from the rail in the better ground.
“I think he’s got a lot of upside,” Craig said.
“He’s a high cruising speed horse, rolled into the corner, and kept his gallop up all the away to the line today.”