Racing: Master Belt brings trainer career highlight

Kevin Gray is obviously a better horse trainer than he is a salesman.

Otherwise he wouldn't have won yesterday's $200,000 Two Thousand Guineas with Master Belt.

The 22-1 outsider gave Gray his first group one training success and Central District jockey Brian Hibberd his first victory in the race on a track that has been so kind to him. Hibberd has ridden four New Zealand Cup winners.

Gray not only trains Master Belt but bred the gelding after racing his dam, Lady Di.

But he was happy to admit his first group one winner would be in somebody else's stable if he had been able to sell him.

"I tried to sell him not once but twice and couldn't," laughed Gray, who before he became a trainer tasted major success as an owner with Copper Belt. Sixty-four-year-old Gray has been training for 26 years.

"I actually tried to sell his dam when she was in foal with him but nobody thought the breeding was fashionable enough.

"Then just a few months ago I had him sold for $80,000 and he didn't pass the vet examination.

"It was some minor joint thing they weren't happy with but I am glad he missed."

The win completed a Guineas double for vet examination rejects, with last Saturday's Thousand Guineas winner Final Destination another who didn't pass a pre-sale vet examination before going on to group one glory.

That $80,000 pales compared with the $125,000 winning stake yesterday and what Master Belt must now be worth.

Gray may use some of that money to pay a late entry fee into the Bayer Classic later this month.

"I actually let him drop out of the entries for the Bayer but I will have to look at paying a late entry because he deserves a crack at it now.

"He is a better horse than people realise. Just look at his record. I actually can't believe he went out paying that money today."

Once over that hurdle Master Belt could head to the paddock as Gray doubts he will run the 2400m distance of the New Zealand Derby on Boxing Day.

"Being by Masterclass I don't think he will get a hard 2400m so that cuts down our options a bit.

"It is a shame because once you get to Christmas there aren't many options for a good three-year-old who isn't quite a Derby horse."

That could mean an Australian campaign or maybe even another attempt at selling Master Belt - obviously for a bit more money than $80,000 this time.

While he won't be heading to the Derby neither may runner-up San Luis.

The favourite pulled up looking sore after his one length defeat and appeared to be feeling his legs most of the way down the home straight.

Under the circumstances his effort was a gutsy one, but it may unfortunately cost him his shot at the Derby his connections had aimed him for.

The failure of the race was second favourite Sedecrem, who was three wide in the middle stages and only battled into ninth.

"I think he was feeling the track a bit because it was pretty hard out there," suggested his rider Lance O'Sullivan.

O'Sullivan is looking forward to better luck with Sedecrem's stablemate Classic Babe in Saturday's New Zealand Cup.

After her lead-up win last Saturday the Takanini mare is a hot favourite for the 3200m event yet O'Sullivan suggests Gabla, who he rode to win earlier yesterday, could be a longshot cup chance.

"I am not saying Gabla is going to beat Classic Babe but he could be a bolter in the race because the way he felt today he will run the 3200m."