Trainer Brian Gentle is unconcerned by the decision to shorten Coincide’s race distance from 1100 metres to 800 metres, as the stable aims for consecutive wins.
The gelding, formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, has a record of four wins and eight placings from 37 starts. It was only upon joining Gentle’s stable that Coincide began to find the winner’s enclosure.
A victory over 1100m at Ipswich last start could set Coincide up well for the shorter 800m journey in the Vale Barry ‘Keith’ Self Benchmark 58 Handicap, provided the horse gets a clear passage.
“Back in distance? I don’t think it is too much of a drama,” Gentle stated.
“He has performed well over 800-metres before and he has shown a liking for Ipswich.”
The six-year-old gelding has a solid record at Ipswich, with one win and three minor placings from seven outings.
“With his record, he has had couple of unlucky runs but he is a rejuvenated horse,” Gentle added.
“He is the sort of horse who puts in 120% into his race day and also puts 120% into his gallops so at some stages he has been leaving everything on the track.
“At his last four starts he was missing the start on jumping and getting four or five lengths behind the second-last horse. Then he was making up a ton of ground late.
“I don’t know if there’s a trick but since he jumped well when he won at Dalby, he hasn’t looked back.”
Apprentice Jasper Franklin will continue his association with Coincide for the fourth successive start.
“Jasper was unlucky on him a few runs back and so I was happy to give him another chance,” Gentle explained.
“He wasn’t really happy (with the outcome) then and he said ‘if you keep me on your horses I’ll win for you’.”
Gentle attributes Coincide’s $9.50 market price to the uncertainty surrounding the horse’s performance over the shorter distance.
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