Easter Chase Upset For Jarvis Bale
The ever-consistent Jarvis Bale opened his Wentworth Park account at the best possible time with victory in the Globe Memorial Easter Chase (720m) on Saturday night.
Winless in 10 attempts at Wentworth Park ahead of the $25,000-to-the-winner Group final, the Graeme Bate-trained marvel held off the country's best stayers including Drill ‘Em, Dashing Corsair and Lochinvar Vogue.
Jarvis Bale was quickly away from his unfavourable box five draw and waged a magnificent battle with Queensland's Dashing Corsair before having to one length to spare at the post in a rain-affected 42.75s.
“We knew if he gets out in front, he just gets a bit of a free run and he's up there with the best,” owner Brendan Wheeler said. “He just needs to be left alone to do his own thing.
“He only won his first race at The Meadows the other week and now he's won his first race at Wenty. He seems to be coming better in his old age.”
Robert Smith's heat winner Lochinvar Vogue stuck admirably to her task to finish third.
But it was the connections of Jarvis Bale who were again left to toast another big race victory for their veteran having his 75th start.
“When dogs like Dashing Corsair and Drill ‘Em get out in front and do their own thing you can't get them – they're gone,” Wheeler said. “But if you can get there in the first 100 and make them work, the result is often different.”
The Globe Memorial Easter Chase was first conducted as part of the carnival, as a feature distance event in 2003, listed below are the past winners and their winning time.
Group 3 Easter Chase Honour Roll
- 2003 Tipper's Comet 42.71
- 2004 Irinka Barbie 42.63
- 2005 Thai Again 42.86
- 2006 Best Quoted 42.27
- 2007 Flashing Floods 43.25
- 2008 Lyn's Daisy 42.33
- 2009 Lilley Criminal 42.25
- 2010 Jarvis Bale 42.75