You know you’ve got a good horse when it wins after looking no hope at all mid-race.

If they’d bet during the running of Race 5 at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, Atlantic Eagle would have been $35 on the home turn.

What turned out to be an excellent ride by Kyle Wilson-Taylor, looked disastrous 500m out when the Paul Duncan-trainer Atlantic Eagle had way too much ground to make up on the leaders as heads turned into the home straight.

The hugely promising mare had got that far back because of an astute move by Wilson-Taylor down the back straight when the horseman elected not to push forward when horses further back in the field improved sharply around the body of the field, relegating Atlantic Eagle back among the tailenders.

So comfortable was the win that she might have won anyway, but the winning rider’s tactics played right into the hands of Atlantic Eagle, who is being taught the right way to develop up into a stayer.

Atlantic Eagle set out after the leader quickly from the 300m and was not at full stretch over the line when well clear. The Altante mare has been worth the wait Paul Duncan has given her because of her tall, lanky original frame.

Watch this space …. there looks to be more to come.

Pin It on Pinterest