Champion Thoroughbreds | Champion Thoroughbreds News 61946 Motorboat Steams Home At Albury

Persistence paid off for connections of Motorboat at Albury on Friday, with the honest mare breaking through for a well-deserved second career win after a campaign plagued by poor draws and a foot abscess.

The four-year-old daughter of Astern had been a scratching regular in recent weeks, held back by a string of wide gates. But trainer Danielle Seib’s patience was rewarded when the mare finally came up with barrier one in the Class 1 Handicap over 1175m—and she made full use of it.

“We’ve been waiting for the right draw to give her every chance,” Seib said post-race. “She’s not one that can give away a big start—she needs to be up there on speed. She lacks a turn of foot but she’s tough and keeps grinding away.”

Sent out a $3.60 favourite, Motorboat lived up to the market expectation, edging out fellow contender Rocket Rudee by 0.19L in a tight finish. The pair spaced the rest of the field, with a 1.42L gap back to third.

With Pierre Boudavillain—who has developed a strong rapport with the mare—in the saddle, Motorboat jumped cleanly and landed in the box seat behind a genuine tempo. The pair hugged the rail turning for home and pounced late, nabbing Rocket Rudee in the shadows of the post.

Well done to her connections Ms K.J. McDougall, Mr P. O'Meagher, Miss L.R. Casson, Mr J.P. Purtell, Mr A.M. Kennedy, Dr F. McCourt, Mr T. Cahill, Mr C. Hodgkinson, Dr M. Chan, Mr S. Nagaratnam, Mr G. Shalala, Dr M. Healy, Mr J. Gregory, Ms V. Leonard, Miss J.M. Petrie, Mr R. Shalala, Mr D. Steffel and Mr D.P. Toohey & Dalanna Bloodstock.