Racing: Include's victory caps off great three days

Brian Anderton (centre) with granddaughter Renee Ralston (right) and jockey Courtney Barnes after...
Brian Anderton (centre) with granddaughter Renee Ralston (right) and jockey Courtney Barnes after Include's win in the $50,000 Dunedin Guineas at Wingatui on Saturday. Photo by Matt Smith.
Brian Anderton has won the Dunedin Guineas before, but Include's brave victory over El Doute in Saturday's running was just a little bit special.

Perceptible provided the Andertons with their most recent victory in the 2000 edition of the race, and the 13-season drought was ended when Include staved off a late bid from El Doute, who will press on to the New Zealand Derby after the way he hit the line.

The New Zealand Oaks is in the sights of Anderton and his training partner, son Shane, although putting the blinkers on was a gear change specifically for Saturday's 3yr-old feature.

''I put them on to just sharpen her a bit for the 1400m, but I don't really want them for the Oaks,'' he said.

''I'd like to run her in the Southland Guineas over a mile, then take them off and run her over a mile and a-quarter [2000m] somewhere and then line her up in the Oaks.''

Include's victory capped off a great three days for the Andertons and their training and breeding establishment at North Taieri.

A Raise The Flag filly out of Emerald Fire sold for $147,500 at the Karaka yearling sales on Friday, and Raise The Flag, who stands at White Robe Lodge, topped the select sale with a $86,667 average for his three yearlings.

Include, a Gallant Guru filly out of She's Snubbed, is owned by Brian and Lorraine Anderton's daughter, Karen Stewart, and her husband, Wayne, who were in Auckland on Saturday putting the finishing touches on their three yearlings in the festival sale yesterday.

Their daughter, Renee Ralston (26), was on hand to accept the trophy on behalf of her parents.

''It's very moving for myself,'' Anderton said.

''My son-in-law and my daughter work their butts off to keep the breeding side of things going and I think it's a just reward.'The win was also a career highlight for apprentice jockey Courtney Barnes (19), who said the blinkers gear change certainly made a difference.

''I wanted to be in the trail and she got there pretty easy,'' Barnes said.

''The blinkers on made her travel that bit more and she wanted to be there a bit more too.

''I'm lucky I held on [to win].''

Include has now won four of her six starts, and Anderton was pleased she bounced back from her eighth in the Gore Guineas last month.

''She's a lovely big filly, but at Gore she didn't handle the ground. I felt she had got into a bad place to motivate her a wee bit - but she's as tough as old boots.''

 

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