Mike Dillon: Ekstreme gives former jockey food for thought

Bryce Revell has, a number of times, proved how good he is at keeping his horses at peak through relatively tough campaigns.

He has also proved in the past couple of decades how dieting is a swear word for him.

The Taranaki horseman looks nothing like a former jockey and he's happy to admit it.

"Food got the better of me," said Revell after he won Saturday's $35,000 NZ Bloodstock Insurance Premier with Ekstreme at Te Rapa.

Revell rode for only two years after he came out of his apprenticeship, but during that time became a respected jumps jockey and rode Touch Judge as John Wheeler's first of many high-profile Oakbank winners at the jumping bonanza in South Australia.

Eating prevented Revell from riding any of those that followed from the Wheeler stable.

"That was the first and I had to watch Scotty [Brett Scott] ride the next four."

Revell does an excellent job with his horses and Ekstreme looked in great shape before the feature and even better as she stormed past the favourite Showcause in the last 220m to run away for a big win.

It was what Revell needed to see in advance of a proposed trip to Australia for, perhaps, the Queensland Oaks.

If Ekstreme strikes a wet track in Brisbane - and it can often be wet in southern Queensland in June - she would be a major threat.

And she has proved, as she did on Saturday, that she doesn't need excessive rain to be competitive at the top level.

"She's super competitive on a good track, but she's even better when it rains," said Revell.

Ekstreme didn't get much luck when eighth in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham before Saturday, but at her previous start had beaten subsequent AJC Oaks winner Daffodil in the Lowland Stakes on a heavy track at Trentham.

The owners, who raced the filly on lease from Stoney Bridge, exercised a $30,000 right of purchase before the Oaks.

Charlotte Russe fought well for third as did Revoke for fourth.

Punters who took the very short odds on debut filly Fromm at Te Rapa on Saturday were extremely lucky.

And not just because Fromm got in the bob of the head that gave her a close decision over Rio Fortune in a desperate finish.

They were lucky a rival came up three wide outside the leaders at the 900m when Fromm was disputing the pace with Rio Fortune.

If it hadn't, Fromm would have run to the outside running rail at that point, according to winning rider Craig Grylls. "She was hanging very badly on the bend.

"I don't think there was any chance she would have gone around the bend properly," said a relieved Grylls.

Fromm was kept on path by the horse outside her to the home turn after which she and Rio Fortune settled down to a 350m battle, working right away from the opposition.

"I think this filly is very special," said Grylls.

Trainer Stephen McKee was not arguing with that assessment.

"It was a very good effort to dig in like that because she'd had only two trials, one over 880m and the other at 800m and that other horse had raced and had three trials."

Punters who took the $2.60 in a wide betting race clearly thought that was sufficient preparation.

Stephen McKee is fairly sure he will now spell Fromm and bring her back as an early 3-year-old.

With seven lengths back to the third horse, the form for Rio Fortune can be followed.

Every 4kg claimer needs a push along.

Maija Vance scored her second win within 24 hours when Primo Quest won at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The jockeys' premiership looks interesting. Sam Spratt took herself to within two wins of premiership leader James McDonald at Avondale on Friday and McDonald comes back to riding next Thursday.