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Townsville trainer Georgie Holt continued her dominance of prestigious Pallarenda Stakes when Better Blitzem scored a runaway win in the 2yo feature at Cluden on Saturday.
The Better Than Ready colt ran as a short-priced favourite and overcame a wide run on his way to an 2 1/2 length victory in 57.50s for the 1000m.
Better Blitzem’s victory was Holt’s third win in the big race in the past four years after victories with fillies Average Jane in 2022 and Time To Prophet in 2023 when the race was run in separate divisions for the colts and geldings and fillies.
And to cap off a big win for the stable, Holt’s jockey husband Aidan guided Better Blitzem to his resounding win.
“I was quite confident but you never know what comes up for this and whether they’ll handle the race day pressure but he’s come through it all like an absolute professional,” Holt said.
“Around home he’s a bit of a dummy. You can’t get him to walk at a decent speed he’s so lazy, you go to pick up his feet he almost falls over. You think how on earth do you out put one foot in front of the other.
“But on the track he shown he’s got quite an engine.
“These races can be quite messy and it probably wasn’t the prettiest watch but he had to get himself out of trouble when they all hunted and kicked up inside from the start.
“He finished off really nicely and I’m very happy with him.”
Better Blitzem’s win was also a personal triumph for Charters Towers racing identity Shaun Flanagan who bred the colt and put him through the Capricornia Yearling Sales in Rockhampton as a buy back.
The Capricornia 2YO Classic in April next year is now the key target for the talented sprinter.
Better Blitzem had to overcome a tough early run after being caught four wide in a furious battle for the lead but once he Holt heeled him to the front at the top of the straight the race was all over.
Cairns filly Alberta Bound finished a brave second in her effort to emulate her older sister Gold Classic who won the race last year while Rockhampton filly Stylish Diamond held down third 4.7 lengths from the winner.
Holt landed the second leg of a winning double in the saddle when he lifted consistent mare Al Ras Blues to a last stride win in the Cranbrook Medical BM58 Hcp (1609m).
Jockey Nathan Thomas also landed a winning double on Aged Care for trainer Gary Dickson and Mister Doobee for Krystin Allender.
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