Legendary Gladstone trainer Denis Schultz pulled off yet another Rockhampton boilover at Callaghan Park on Friday, 8 February.
Schultz’s charge Soften It Up belied his $26 quote to seal victory in the Kennas Chartered Accountants Maiden (1600m).
The son of All Too Hard sustained a strong late finish to deny odds-on favourite Flamenco Rose ($1.65) by a length and a quarter.
The win was a testament to Schultz’s patience with Soften It Up, who he owns outright, with Friday’s run his 29th start and 18th since joining the Harbour City-based horseman.
Soften It Up began his career with Carolyn Halliday, then spent stints with Bruce Hill and Daiki Chujo before arriving in Schultz’s stable in late-2022.
Before his career-best effort at Rockhampton, Soften It Up had finished runner-up at Emerald over 1100m and finished third at Yeppoon and Gladstone.
Schultz had three runners in action at the Beef Capital TAB meeting, with his leading middle distance galloper Leica Bita Fun running an eye-catching third behind Devil Kick in the TAB Benchmark 60 Handicap (1816m).
His other runner Love My Louis finished fifth, beaten little more than four and a half lengths by Nano Star in the Walkers Hot Bread Shop Benchmark 55 Handicap (1050m).
Both Soften It Up and Love My Louis feature in the nominations for this Friday’s TAB meeting at Rockhampton.
