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The John Wheeler-Brett Scott combination landed its fourth victory in the Grand Annual Steeplechase when topweight Real Tonic scored a tough win over the gallant Busby Glenn at Warrnambool.
Real Tonic, who won the Great Eastern Steeple (4950m) at Oakbank on Easter Monday by 34 lengths on a bog track, faced a harder task in Thursday's $140,000 marathon over 33 fences and 5500m.
But despite going up 3.5kg on the weight he carried at Oakbank to 67kg, the nine-year-old ($4.60 eq fav) came away from Busby Glenn ($4.60 eq fav) to score by 2-1/2 lengths after the pair staged a two-horse war for the last 1000m of the gruelling event.
Jungle George, the longest-priced horse in the race at $151, did the best of the rest to finish 15 lengths away third.
Real Tonic did a great job to come back from bowed tendons in both forelegs three seasons ago.
Wheeler, who trains at New Plymouth on New Zealand's North Island, heaped praise on Scott who is also stable foreman at his Australian base at Mornington.
"It's a huge advantage having Scotty on. He's a great rider," Wheeler said.
"He saved plenty of ground in the run as did the rider of the second horse (Bill Williams). They were the best two rides in the race."
Scott has had a great run this season winning back-to-back Nakayama Grand Jumps in Japan on the Eric Musgrove-trained Karasi and now back-to-back Grand Annuals with Wheeler, having landed it on Frankoo Verymuch last year.
The pair also won the Grand Annual with Foxboy in 1997 and The Sundance Kid in 1998.
Wheeler has also won seven Great Eastern Steeples at Oakbank and Scott five.
Real Tonic, who was ridden in the Great Eastern by Adam Trinder, emulated the Wheeler-trained Foxboy to complete the double.
The gelding was having his 50th start and made it 10 wins, six over the jumps, and nearly $370,000 in prizemoney.
"It was a tough effort by the horse, I'll probably aim him at the Grand National now I suppose," Wheeler said.
"With the new, more-forgiving fences, the race is still a test of stamina. The courage has gone out of it though as you don't have to jump any higher than you need to.
© 2006 Published 04/05/06
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