THIS BLOKE ISN'T JUST A HORSE AT ALL

TUESDAY: September 22, 2020: WHAT’S in a name?

When the owners of a now Hawkesbury four-year-old kept getting knocked back for suggested names before he raced, they decided to simply call him Just A Horse.

It’s fair to say he isn’t just a horse at all! In fact, he is a winner.

At Orange yesterday, the gelded son of Albrecht won his third race at only his eighth start – and trainer Terry Croft says there are more to come.

Given a perfect ride by Chad Lever, Just A Horse ($5) relished his first try at 1400m when he beat Smart Ain’t He ($9.50) and Swilling ($21) in the Class 2 Handicap.

“His work had been really good, and I was confident he would run well yesterday,” Croft said this morning.

“I’ve always held a good opinion of him, and this was the first time we have been able to get him out to 1400m.

“He was always travelling strongly, and I can’t see why he won’t manage 1600m.”

Croft, who does a terrific job with his team, has had a flying start to the new season.

He prepared nine winners last season, and Just A Horse was his third winner in the first seven weeks of the 2020-21 racing year.

As the Just A Horse story continues, a new one is about to begin with his three-year-old younger brother, also housed at Croft’s stable.

Given Just A Horse’s name, what else could this fellow could be called other than Just A Brother?

The younger sibling lines up for his second start at home on Thursday in the Charity Racedays At HRC Maiden Plate (1000m). No surprise either that Chad Lever will be in the saddle.

Just A Brother ran fourth on debut at $61 in a 3YO Maiden Handicap over the same distance at Hawkesbury on September 5.

“He ran a nice race at his first start, and has trained on nicely,” Croft said.

“The 1000m will probably be too short again, but he is showing promise.”

Croft also will run his stable stalwart No Escape at Thursday’s meeting.

Apprentice Stacey Metcalfe will claim 3kg on the eight-year-old, lessening his 61kg topweight in the Happy 50th Birthday Peter Conditional Open Handicap (1300m).

No Escape has won eight – including two in town - of his 43 starts, and earned more than $280,000 in prizemoney.