Former New Zealand galloper Open Minded (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) continued his rich vein of form when successful at Caulfield on Saturday under a positive Damien Thornton ride.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained four-year-old notched his seventh win from 12 starts, including the past four in a row.
Sent out a $9.50 chance, Open Minded had a Long Neck to spare from Superium with Defiant Dancer in third.
“He’s done a really good job. He won his first three starts for us then he was a little bit in the wilderness for six months or so,” Sam Freedman said.
“We put the blinkers on him and that’s when he really turned around. It’s a big thrill for the whole stable. It’s never easy to keep these horses winning as they rise in class. Dream Thoroughbreds have been through the whole process to pick out some races for him and it’s been a really good team effort.
“He’s a dangerous horse if you leave him alone and have his own way in front because he can really start upping the tempo and sustain a solid run all the way to the line. His pedigree says he should get over a lot further but he’s been dynamic at this sort of trip so being kept on the fresher side and kept to the 1300-1400 metres, he’ll be very effective.”
The gelding was a private purchase out of New Zealand by Dream Thoroughbred’s Dave Azzopardi.
Open Minded was identified by bloodstock agent Lenny Russo of Bluegrass Bloodstock after he won a Te Rapa trial for former trainer Roger Lang.
Earlier on the Caulfield Card, Blue Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park), another private purchase from New Zealand was successful over 1800m.
Previously prepared by Toby Autridge, Blue Ocean ran third in his only start in New Zealand and was subsequently secured by OTI Racing through bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo.
The Phillip Stokes-trained four-year-old is the winner of two of his 14 starts, with a further 7 placings.
“He’s been super consistent this prep but I think he’s one of those horses that when he gets to the outside he shows a turn-of-foot,” Stoke said.
“His last couple of runs back in Adelaide and Sandown he got on the inside of horses and Ben Allen gave him a lovely ride in the three-wide position and he was tough.
“His sectionals said he was going well this prep and it was a good ride and great to get a win for OTI and all the owners in this horse.”
