The Robert Heathcote trained gelding led all the way to score a neck win in the 1050 metre sprint, his eighth win from 20 starts with prizemoney in excess of $363,000.
Pinch River has notoriously fragile hooves, so is now likely to be kept on the
fresh side for a tilt at the Magic Millions Sprint on the Gold Coast next
month."He has had plenty of troubles and I'm really proud of this horse today," Heathcote said.
"I kid you not he has not had a track gallop for a month.
"He has only done some slow work and some swimming.
"I'll be honest it is the first time I've ever done that with a horse and he has come here today on raw ability and once he found the front he was never headed.
"I was not game to give him much work on the track because I know there is only so many miles in each of his hooves."
An $85,000 Magic Millions purchase for Paul Willetts Bloodstock from the Musk Creek Farm draft, Pinch River is from Avenue Girl, who traces back to influential mare Derna, the dam of Arc winner Detroit, who produced another Arc winner in Carnegie.
Darley's Denman has just one entry for Magic Millions and six for Inglis Classic.
