By DAVID NAGEL
SPEEDINESS, a bargain buy for Pakenham businessman Ed Thomas at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, has been retired after running ninth in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on Saturday.
Initially trained at Pakenham by Colin Scott, the seven-year-old son of Testa Rossa-Fine Glass, who was purchased for just $18,000, won more than $1 million in prizemoney from 39 career starts.
Scott, who still lives in Pakenham, moved his stable to Caulfield three years ago and Speediness went with him.
Scott said the best horse he had trained had been a godsend to both him and his owners.
“All good things come to an end I suppose, but he owes us nothing this horse, he’s been a champion and an absolute pleasure to train,” Scott said.
“He took us all over the country and raced at the elite level and, with a bit of luck with barriers and luck in running, could have won multiple Group 1s.”
Outside of his win in the 2013 Group 3 Bobbie Lewis (1200m), Speediness was placed twice at Group 2 level and three times in Group 1 company. He also won the 2013 listed Scone Cup and listed Pink Ribbon Cup at Caulfield.
Speediness was competitive during his spring campaign last year, but failed at his last two starts in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m).
Scott said he thought the horse had turned the corner as he headed into this preparation.
“We were disappointed with his last two runs in spring, but he’d prepped up really well and trialled like he was back to his best,” he said.
“His trackwork was as good as ever, but he just looked like a tired horse in his races and just wasn’t being as genuine as he’d always been. He was gone in the wind (throat) and his time had come.”
