A GEAR change helped Desert Harry ($26) take out the $15,000 Dingo Demolitions Benchmark 55 Handicap ( 1900m) at the Ballina Jockey Club TAB meeting yesterday.
Gold Coast trainer Marcus Wilson put blinkers on the five- year- old gelding when it beat Perisha ($ 5) and Astute Boy ($ 8) in a photo finish.
“He’s a big horse and he got rolling at the right time,” Wilson said.
“It was a good move with the blinkers and he looked to improve with the shades.
“He’s a fair lump of a horse and he’ll enjoy it when he gets on the bigger tracks
“He weighs about 530kg and he’s a typical stayer.
“This might give him a bit of confidence; he had some problems before I had him and he was out for about 12 months.”
“I gave him a good nudge out of the gates today,” jockey Ryan Wiggins said.
“He pressed forward and I had to give him a breather before we took off.
“I think the shades really helped and he did well when we got up there.”