LOCALLY-bred Ultimate Art has secured a spot in the Inter Dominion Grand Final at Tabcorp Park Menangle on March 1.
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Ultimate Art - originally owned and bred at Monteagle by David and Rachael Micallef - was sold at Pacing Gold Sales to his current owners.
Known as a bargain buy, he gave Ellalong trainer-driver Michael Formosa one of the thrills of his career when he qualified for the Inter Dominion Grand Final with a powerful win at Tabcorp Park Menangle earlier this month.
Formosa is one of the Hunter region’s nice guys and has shown he is a trainer with an ability to bring out the best in his horses.
He admitted he thought there must have been something wrong with Ultimate Art when he purchased the son of Modern Art and Salix as a yearling for just $7000 at the Australian Pacing Gold sales - $1000 less than they had budgeted to spend at the sale.
Yet Ultimate Art has continued to step up to the plate and wore down Easy On The Eye in the straight to score a last-stride win with ace Kiwi Terror To Love running an improved race to finish third in a 1:57 mile rate.
“We were travelling so well I almost came out in front of Terror To Love when he made his move, but I didn’t want to get too cocky and wanted to make sure we qualified,” Formosa said.
“He was travelling strongly the whole way and it’s a real credit to this horse the way he continues to step up and handler any challenges we put to him.”
With three qualifiers from this fourth heat, all three placegetters will be there to tackle Beautide in the grand final on Sunday week.
Blazin N Cullen finished well from last to grab fourth, just edging out Pub Blitz and both raced well without threatening the first three home.
