A lightly raced eight year-old gelding, High Bridge (GB) made it two wins in as
many starts when he scored a powerful win over 2200 metres and while the race was
only a Benchmark 74, he did CARRY 60 kgs and made it look easy.Prepared by Chris Waller for a syndicate headed by OTI Racing, High Bridge has an interesting background as his form in the UK was largely in jumps races in which he was very successful.
Bred by Darley, he was tried on the flat before ending up with former Darley boss John Ferguson, who enjoyed success with him as a jumper and ultimately identified him as a Cups style of horse.
"Jumps racing is of a high standard over there where they do it for six months of the year and the good ones need to be fast," said Chris Waller.
"John Ferguson recommended him to Terry Henderson (OTI Racing) and has kept a share in him so that says a lot."
High Bridge has the overall record of eight wins and four placings fro9m just 15 starts, but will need to win his way into the Melbourne Cup as none of his racing has been in anything close to Black Type company.
High Bridge is a full brother to stakes-placed Oojooba from Group I winner Ameerat, who won the Group I Newmarket 1,000 Guineas for Darley.
It would be a long shot to suggest High Bridge can get to the Melbourne Cup and an even longer one to think he could win it, but if he does and victory comes his way there will be some bittersweet emotions in the Darley camp, who have tried for so hard and so long to win Australia's greatest race.
