East Indiaman too good

A brilliant beginning helped East Indiaman return to the winning list at Cranbourne on Sunday, October 13.

Second up from a spell, the four-year-old began brilliantly from gate nine to enable jockey Luke Currie to cross and lead, then dictate the tempo of the race.

The $3.20 favourite, East Indiaman repelled a strong challenge by Satori ($4) to win the De Bortoli Wines Handicap (1400m) by a long head with Revlis ($15), 3-1/2 lengths away third.

Darren McLeod, spokesman for the Tony & Calvin McEvoy stable said he believed there was more to come from the winner.

“He’s not even wound up yet, he was probably only about 85% today,” McLeod said.

“This will top him off nicely and he can head on to something better.

“Luke’s (Currie) percentage on front runners for us would be enormous, he just doesn’t get beaten.

“Once he found the lead so easily, it was always going to be hard to run him down.

“He’s come back better than when he won a Listed race last time in.

“He’s in a much better head space as well.”

Winning jockey Luke Currie also gave a glowing report.

“He had won previously leading throughout at Morphettville, but he wasn’t ready to do it too hard today second up,” Currie said.

“He looked really good in the yard, well prepared by the team.

“Once he got those couple of furlongs rest, he was always going to be hard to beat.

“He’s going well but like Darren said, there is improvement in him.

“He is going to go on and there are better races in him.”