Ray Beale placed his faith in Canterbury trainer Robert Dunn this week and was rewarded in emphatic fashion when Graduate Under Fire won by a massive margin at Westport yesterday.
Beale had trained Graduate Under Fire from his Hilderthorpe property, just north of Oamaru, until earlier this week, when Dunn took up training the gelding, and the Dunn pairing of father Robert and his driving son, John, duly delivered when the horse won by 15 lengths over his maiden rivals.
He was all the rage on the fixed odds market, opening at $13 yesterday morning before closing at $2.60 when the race started.
Beale picked the son of Courage Under Fire out of a paddock as a weanling at Nevele R Stud and has been happy to wait for the gelding, as his family take time to reach their best.
''He's a lovely horse - he has taken time to grow and we have just given him that time,'' Beale said.
''He just couldn't finish things off, and he's got a lot stronger since Christmas time.
''Most of them [the family] have been better as they've gotten on with age.''
Included in that family is former Grand Circuit performer Power Of Tara, whose dam Atomic Gold is a half-sister to Graduate Under Fire's dam, Golden Graduate.
''He [Power Of Tara] got better with age, and we think this fellow will get better with age too.''
Beale had earlier success sending horses to Dunn, with Fastroundtown recording three wins from the stable in late 2010.
''Robert will be looking for some more from me,'' Beale said.
