Brave call: Pride’s coal city specialist primed for fitting farewell

Budding trainer Brave Pride realises Coal Crusher is coming to the end of the line and, on form, he should not be pushing for a third win and fitting finale in The Hunter on Saturday.

Still, the son of Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride can’t write off his nine-year-old Newcastle specialist.

Coal Crusher became the only horse to win the $1 million race twice when he repeated his front-running effort of 2023 last year. Those have been his only wins in the past three and a half years, a period featuring a third in the 2024 Hunter. He also won the Hunter consolation race in 2022.

The remarkable run on the same program accounts for almost half of the homebred Turffontein gelding’s $2.85 million in prizemoney.

Brave Pride, a part-owner in the horse, said Saturday’s Hunter was likely Coal Crusher’s last run, and he was thankful for “one hell of a ride”.

“It would be a nice to get a third Hunter, then they should name the consolation race the Coal Crusher,” he said.

“We’ve had better horses but not too many more memorable than him. He’s pretty awesome. He means a lot to us and this is his race every year.

“Chris Murphy, the manager of INXS, bred him. I think he sent him to Coolmore for a bit and they told him he was no good.

“He was a very weedy looking horse when he came to us, but he always showed a bit of ticker.

“He took five races to win his maiden at Orange. Chris sadly passed, so his daughter [Stevey Arena] took on the horse and because he’s on lease, I got five per cent.

“We hoped he’d win a mid-weeker and be a decent provincial horse, so he’s overachieved to the max.

“This seems like the only race he’s able to win with how he’s benchmarked.

“He’s the healthiest horse in the stable, but I think he’s probably ready for the next chapter in his life. That’s not to say he can’t run a good race this weekend.”

Coal Crusher was a $23 TAB outsider for Saturday after finishing 14 lengths off the winner at his past two runs, in the $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) and $3 million Russell Balding (1300m). He was four lengths off Ice Kool when carrying 65.5 kilograms first up over 1000m at Warwick Farm.

“You’d be foolish to say he’s definitely going as good as last year, but I think his form can be a bit deceiving,” said the 20-year-old, who hopes to one day become co-trainer with his dad.

“I’m not saying he’s as good as a Private Eye or a Mr Brightside, but the reason these horses are around so long is because they know when to look after themselves.

“They will put in these poor runs. He’s probably put in a few too many, but first up he carried the grandstand, second up he was off the track four wide and last start they went ridiculous tempo and he was at his top the whole way with horses all around him. He’s not silly, he knew he was beaten, and once he copped a bump, he probably threw in the towel.

“But he gets in this race with not much tempo, I wouldn’t think, and blinkers on, and he can be a different horse when he gets to dictate. If he can bully them, you could see a drastic form change.

“He’s absolutely humming at home, he hasn’t left a grain in the feed bin, he’s double barrelling every arvo, he’s very spritely, so I feel like there’s one more in him.”

Stablemate Accredited, second in the race last year, was $9 after drawing gate one and finishing third first-up in the Choisir Handicap. Coal Crusher has barrier 19.

“Coal Crusher is wide, but I think that will suit him, out where he is able to build and use his speed and not be rushed to the lead,” Brave said.

“And Accredited, he loves that barrier where he gets the perfect suck run to dash for 200m. He’s right in it and he ran really well last start.

“He won’t want too much rain on the day, but it won’t affect Coal Crusher.”

The stable hoped to get Kerguelen into the Hunter, but he will race in the consolation after running seventh in the Choisir.

“He was probably a bit disappointing, but he’s a horse we hold in high regard,” he said.

“We’ve got the blinkers on and if we see him back to his best, he should be taking care of them, he’s pretty handy.”

Regal Problem was $3.90 chance in the sixth, after a close second last start at Randwick.

“Blinkers on should be a bonus and she will appreciate the long straight at Newcastle,” he said.