Deadline achieved

Race experience and a smart decision by jockey Luke Currie saw the Tony McEvoy-trained Mr Deadline score at initial win at Ballarat on Tuesday, April 23.

After riding in race one, Currie assessed it would be wise to be on pace, so he took Mr Deadline to the front in the Craig’s Royal Hotel Maiden Two-Year-Old (1200m) and it proved a correct decision.

A $5 chance, Mr Deadline dominated the race to score by 1-3/4 lengths from Why Big Bry ($26) with Huckleberry ($14) a length away third.

Michael Shepherdson, Melbourne stable foreman for Tony McEvoy, believed having had two previous starts had helped with the victory.

“He has progressed well and been knocking on the door but he’s still learning the caper,” Shepherdson said.

“We had a two-year-old in the first race and when he came back Luke said he felt it was on-pace today, so he wanted to come out and go forward on this fellow.

“With race experience under his belt it would put him in the race.

“He got to the front, controlled, got into a rhythm and Luke rated him really well and he was strong to the line.”

Shepherdson said the colt had been progressive, but a bit of race sense had come with racing.

“I’m sure Tony will step him up and we’ve got a nice little horse on our hands.”

Winning jockey Luke Currie was also complimentary.

“He’s had a couple of starts and was a bit newish at Seymour,” Currie said.

“He improved off that at his second start, then improved again today.

“I gave him a push at the start, and he got to the front and relaxed nicely then he was quite responsive which I picked him up and put him into the bridle.

“I was really happy with the way he coped with it all.”

Mr Deadline was purchased for $220,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.