Promising stayer Brungle Raider backed up his dominant win at Stawell with an equally resounding victory at Cranbourne Friday night. The five-year-old son of Rebel Raider sat just off the speed throughout the 2600-metre trip, setting out after the leader at the 600-metre mark and taking over at the bend. The race was over in a matter of strides, jockey Luke Nolen taking time to wipe his goggles as his gelding cruised past race leader Equine Philosopher and powered for home. As in his Stawell win, the official winning margin of four lengths flattered his rivals, Nolen easing up a long way out and cuddling the Dwyer galloper over the line. Solid rainfall leading up to the race only aided the chances of Brungle Raider who races as if the wetter the better. Dwyer was impressed his gelding was able to obliterate another field, this time against stronger opposition. “He was really good tonight”, he said. “He’s pulled up really well again, he didn’t have a hard run. We should be able to springboard off that again”.
Dwyer is confident Brungle Raider can be a major player in the 3000-metre races at The Valley and Sandown but has another race at Cranbourne in mind at benchmark-70 level in a fortnight. “You’d be hard-pressed to think, if he pulls up ok, he won’t be winning again”.