Accredited wins again at Randwick

Progressive galloper Accredited has continued his winning run this summer with another Randwick victory.

The Joe Pride -trained five-year-old began his current campaign with a runner-up finish in a 1200m benchmark-72 at Canterbury in November and then since the start of December the gelding has pieced together three-straight wins, including two at Randwick.

Off the back of his last-start success in a 1300m benchmark-78 at the same track, Accredited was sent out an odds-on favourite in Saturday’s Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m) against a small field and he strode away in the final 300m to score by four lengths.

Pride is happy with the progression Accredited is making this campaign.

“He’s a nice horse,” Pride said.

“This preparation on dry tracks he’s really gone to a level much beyond what he had done in the past.

“He’s probably still not at his peak yet, and I don’t mean that this preparation but I think maybe next preparation he’ll be better again.

“He’s got six wins out of 13 starts so he’s building a handy record.”

Pride is unsure of the immediate plans for Accredited but indicated he isn’t planning to run the gelding on a seven-day back-up in next Saturday’s $500,000 The Lakes (1600m) at Wyong.

“I thought the two weeks between runs was as close as I’d like to get with him,” Pride said.

“I’ve just kept him fresh in between. I don’t think he’d handle the back-up.”

The trainer said he would see how Accredited comes through Saturday’s win before deciding on the next steps for him.

“We’ll see how he pulls up, but I’m very happy with the way he’s getting through this preparation,” he said.

Jockey Josh Parr held the inside advantage early on Accredited with Cinque Torri and Ang Pow also pressing forward in the small field.

Ang Pow moved around three wide to take up the lead, with Parr later angling off Ang Pow’s back to ensure he had clear running between that runner and Cinque Torri when he needed to sprint for home.

Accredited ($1.55) strode to a clear lead inside the final 300m and defeated Cinque Torri with the winner’s stablemate Excelladus another 3-1/2-lengths away third.

Parr said it was an impressive performance by Accredited.

“We had a little bit to deal with,” Parr said.

“I felt like I had to ride the race on three different horses then, and he was able to overcome just some bizarre circumstances and then put them away quite well.”