BEATEN but brave is how Bendigo trainer Matthew Enright viewed the performance of his Group 3 Apiam Bendigo Cup hope Wertheimer on Wednesday.
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The former jockey felt he could not have been much prouder of his consistent six-year-old gelding, who worked home solidly for ninth placing, in the race won by Interpretation.
The rank outsider of the field at 200-1, Wertheimer delivered above expectations for the combination of Enright and jockey Alana Kelly, finishing three-lengths from the the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained victor.
It followed a gallant and memorable fourth by the same pairing in last year's race behind High Emocean.
A firm track - rated a Good 4 on Wednesday - was always going to be against Wertheimer.
His excellent fourth in last year's race was on a Heavy 8, while his best performances in general have been on heavy or soft ground.
"He didn't muster from the gate like he did last year, but last year the track was wet and it suited him down to the ground," Enright said minutes after the race."This year they were going a whole lot quicker out of the gates.
"He's done well. We're rapt.
"At the end of the day he needed a wet track to be any real chance, but for him to go like he did and to get as far back as he did and be wide from 600m, and to keep coming, it was a great effort.
"Now we just have to sit back and find a race for him."
Enright followed the same template into the race as last year via the Murtoa and Horsham cups in which Wertheimer finished second and fourth this year.
While he went on to contest the Werribee Cup last year after his brave fourth at Bendigo, that won't be an option this year.
A 2000m race last year, the Werribee Cup has been changed to a 1600m event.
"There's a benchmark 70 on Cranbourne Cup day over 2500m, worth $130,000. We might as well go there. It will be a nice little step for him," Enright said.
"He really needs that extra two lengths in races like the Bendigo Cup, it makes a huge difference.
"But you can't fault what he's done."
A sound performer for Enright since arriving at his stable from South Australia, where he was trained by Michael Hickmott, Wertheimer has placed three times in his seven country cups appearances and finished fourth three times.
Underlining the gap in class, Wertheimer entered the Bendigo Cup with a 71 rating. The winner, Interpretation, was a 95 and the topweight Luncies, who finished fourth, 105.
A positive day all-round for Enright included a close-up third with Salassi in the 1600m benchmark behind Big Brew.
"I thought he would run really well and he did," he said.
"It just got a little bit lost the last 50 metres and it cost him at least running second.
"It is what it is. It was still a good day for us."
Only the Arthur Pace-trained Colsridge managed a better placing on cup day from the Bendigo-trained brigade.
The seven-year-old gelding was a sound second in the 1100m benchmark 78 in the race won by champion jockey Damien Oliver aboard Fortunate Kiss.
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