Emotional Win For Bartholomeu Dias
The $175,000 Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) beckons for Bartholomeu Dias after the well-travelled Highclere Australia import returned to form with a slashing victory over 1800m at Eagle Farm on Saturday, capping an emotional 24 hours for the global operation.
Sent out as the outsider of the 10-horse field having finished second last at Rosehill at his first run for trainer Annabel Neasham, 'Bart' defied his odds with a scintillating last-to-first success under Jaden Lloyd.
The seven-year-old was eased down late to defeat Cognac by a comfortable length with a further length to Badoosh in third.
It was a win that was dedicated to Linda Fleiter, the wife of Highclere Australia managing director Tony Fleiter, after she died on Thursday.
Neasham said that Bartholomeu Dias had impressed since his first-up run, particularly in a gallop with Listed Gosford Gold Cup winner and Q22 contender Numerian last week."I was expecting an improvement from getting him back onto a better surface," said the trainer. "First-up at Rosehill it was a very testing track and it was hard to make up ground that day.
"His work had been really good through the week, but in the run I was really worried - he looked really disinterested and he was sort of being nudged along. But it was a great ride from young Jaden, he was patient with him even in the straight and the gaps appeared and it was great to see him put them away."
It was just his second start for Neasham and she expressed gratitude to Highclere Australia for the opportunity to train for the global operation while also paying tribute to Linda Fleiter."I think he was just looking for a bit of a change of scenery," she said. "A couple of horses have come our way from Highclere and I'm very grateful to them.
"We send Tony our best wishes and condolences after a tough few days and hopefully that has put a bit of a smile on his face."
Lloyd, who brought up his 150th career win thanks to Bartholomeu Dias, was impressed with the turn of foot shown by the Mount Nelson gelding.
"The horse did a tremendous job to come from that far back," he said. "I didn't want to get him out of his comfort zone, I always knew I was going to catch up to the field and when I went for him he quickened up nicely.
"Annabel has really got this horse going well and I think he can go on from here."
Bartholomeu Dias has now won six of his 35 starts, three of those in Australia, with earnings of $393,927.