Hurtle Myrtle has won the Dane Ripper Stakes and will now go to the Winter Stakes

The Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm always shaped as one of the most exciting events of the day and it certainly didn’t disappoint with a tight finish coming to the line.

It didn’t look like that from the jump with an absolute dawdle of speed up front as they just cantered along into the turn.

When the straightened though they were stretched across the track but the lack of pace early made it difficult for the back markers to get going.

The field seemed to hold their positions with nothing making much of an impact until Hurtle Myrtle pulled into a run and found a couple of lengths very quickly.

She went at the leader Zero Rock which was battling in front   but a perfectly timed burst from Brenton Avdulla  meant he had just too much pace and Hurtle Myrtle went past with ease as they hit the line.

Zero Rock ran second with the roughie Pontiana in third place.

It was a great win for trainer Mathew Smith as the horse has always threatened around good company and he knows she can find the line when it counts.

“She was travelling so well behind them I was confident if she could get out in time she’d be right in it,” Smith said.

“Now she’s won a couple it’s fantastic.”

It also puts her in great shape for the Winter Stakes which will be her next assignment assuming everything is ok when she pulls up.

This horse has always had ability and she’s even pushed More Joyous before down in Sydney so it was a ride Brenton Avdulla was pleased to take.

“It was  good solid win, the race worked out perfect, had  a nice soft alley, grabbed a spot close to the speed,” he said.

“I just let her get through her gears and the last furlong she really knuckled down.”

It’s certainly a horse he won’t be jumping off any time soon and he’s looking forward to repeating the effort back at Eagle Farm very soon.

“Hopefully we can win the Winter Stakes in a few weeks,” he said.