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Desert Man Breaks the Drought for Schweida

22 December 2018

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By Isaac Murphy

Desert Man endured almost a two-year drought between race runs, with repeated injuries threatening to cut short the gelding's promising career.

But trainer Kelly Schweida, who owns the horse outright, never gave up hope and the now six-year-old has repaid the faith with his second win this prep in The Gollan Racing Class 3 Plate at Eagle Farm. 

Schweida said apprentice Jag Guthmann-Chester rode perfectly to race instructions, making the most of the inside barrier to land in the box seat. 

“We managed to plan out the race fairly well, using the gate to get into a handy position,” Schweida said.

“It’s not often a plan comes off so I’m rapt to get another win out of him, it’ll be a nice little Christmas bonus.”

Schweida poked fun at fellow trainer Tony Gollan who sponsored the Class 3 Plate and said he would wait to see how the horse pulled up before proceeding with future plans.

“A win is great but to do it in Gollan’s race is even sweeter,” he laughed.

“We might take him to something suitable either a week out from Magic Millions or find a race for him on the day.

“Given his injury history I’m not taking anything for granted, I’m just happy to have him back and racing.”

Guthmann-Chester said while the gate and inside runs had helped, the horse had to find something extra to pull out his second win of the prep.

“When I got the run along the rails I had to take it and while we probably got to the front a bit early he really stuck it out and found another gear,” he said.