Good Third For Reparations

Reparations ran on well to finish third under top-weight of 59kg in the Group Three Standish Handicap over the straight six furlongs at Flemington, Australia on Thursday, January 1.

The six-year-old son of Exceed And Excel, trained by Lee & Anthony Freedman and ridden by Dwayne Dunn, was held up after breaking soundly and chased the leaders in fifth of the 11 runners.

Reparations was asked to progress with a quarter-mile remaining and ran on to take third over a furlong out.

He closed on the leaders without being able to challenge but finished two and three quarter lengths clear of the fourth, Mister Milton.

Reparations was beaten three quarters of a length and a length and quarter respectively by the winner Decircles, whose time for the six furlongs on good turf came to 1m 9.07s, and second Lord Of The Sky.

Lee Freedman commented: "He ran a brilliant third today, unfortunately he was thwarted by an extremely slow pace up front and two horses that were weighted four to five kilos below him and were able to sprint clear in the last 200 metres.

"He finished very resolutely and took ground off them. We will consider going to New Zealand for the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham in a fortnight but see how he pulls up first."

Reparations was successful over the Flemington course and distance in the Listed MSS Security Sprint on November 4, 2014.