After a luckless last-start defeat as favourite, Philipsburg (NZ) (Per Incanto) has atoned with a stylish performance to claim the TAB Highway Handicap (1400m) at Kembla Grange, setting himself up for loftier goals.
The four-year-old struggled to find clear running from an inside draw when unplaced at the same track last month but there were no such issues on Saturday.
Trailing the speed for Rachel King, Philipsburg enjoyed an uninterrupted run, coasting to victory by 1-1/4 lengths over Blaazay, who edged out So Say You in a photo finish for the minors.
Trainer James Ponsonby said Philipsburg had raced his way out of Highway Handicap company and would be set a long-range goal to target the Country Championships next year.
“He’s still got an opportunity to run in the Country Classic in the beginning of November over 2000m, but at this stage we will probably just run him in The Panorama at the end of the month at the Bathurst showcase meeting,” Ponsonby said.
“And then we will tip him out and bring him back for the Country Championships during the February/March period.”
Foreman for top horseman Mark Newnham before venturing out on his own last year, Ponsonby has been thrilled with his stable’s progress in a short time.
He says the weekly Highway Handicaps are a wonderful incentive for country stables.
“It’s one of my greatest selling points for my stable. Twelve months ago today, I was literally one win and that was a winner at Albury,” Ponsonby said.
“We’ve progressed really well and I try to target these races because you can buy a horse for $30,000 or $40,000 that probably is overs at that price, but today Philipsburg is taking home $46,000 for his connections and it’s a really huge incentive, especially when he’s still got other races he’s going to be good enough to win.”
Bred under Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock banner, Philipsburg, who is out of the winning Darci Brahma mare Saint Martins, was offered by Bladford Lodge at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 sale where he sold for $110,000 to Aquis Farm.
Ponsonby bought Philipsburg for A$20,000 at an online sale nine months ago and the horse has gone on to bank more than $74,000.
The Per Incanto gelding had kicked off his career with an unplaced run in New Zealand before he was transferred to Kacy Fogden in Queensland where he had three barrier trials but never raced.
Since joining Ponsonby’s team, Philipsburg has lined up eight times for four wins.
