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By Mark Brassel

Moree trainer John Bourke’s ‘freebie’ horse is giving him and his family the ride of a lifetime as the horse prepares to do battle at Tamworth on Tuesday.

Vertical ($5 on TAB) is in sizzling form having won two of his only four starts for the Bourke stable.

Vertical and Jodi Worley cruise home at Coonabarabran. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

It would be difficult to find a more impressive country victory than Vertical’s last-start win over 950m at Moree last month.

The gelding had already been with three previous trainers before Bourke received the son of Proisir.

“A friend of my brother, Danny said he had a horse they wanted to give away, so they sent him over for me to train,” Bourke explained.

“Both Danny and my wife Kerry now own him and we’re happy where he’s at.”

Bourke has found the key to Vertical after the horse had finished last in two of his previous three starts at Murwillumbah for another stable.

Vertical made his debut for Bourke finishing second at Gunnedah in March before powering to victory at Coonabarabran (900m) in April.

The four-year-old was then a luckless fourth at Quirindi (1100m) before his latest impressive effort.

Vertical copped several checks during the run but once into the clear, stormed down the outside to win over 950m at Moree, pulling right away on the line.

“We’ve made plenty of progress with him, I think, mainly due to a change of environment and he’s now relaxing more,” Bourke said.

“He’s very highly strung and a nervy type of horse and because of that we don’t really need to work him that much.”

Incredibly, 73-year-old Bourke only took up training last September having been the clerk of the course at Moree for ten years.

Vertical will be competing in Tuesday’s Allsopp Signs Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m) at Tamworth and although stepping up from 950m, Bourke has no worries the horse will handle the longer journey.

“He had won two races before we got him over 1200m on the Sunshine Coast and over 1230m at Lismore, so the extra distance won’t bother him.

“Again, it’s just a matter of him relaxing – Jodi [Worley] rides very patiently and lets things unfold. And that suits this horse as she takes her time and doesn’t rush him.

“Jodi knows him well, having ridden the horse on three occasions for two wins and the fourth at Quirindi.”

Tuesday’s contest boasts an excellent line-up with last start winners Equities [won at Armidale] and Demeurer [Moree] entered, along with Inverell galloper Righthere Rightnow having won at Grafton two starts back.

Upcoming NSW country race meetings
Monday: Taree, Goulburn
Tuesday: Bathurst, Tamworth
Friday: Wagga, Dubbo
Saturday: Grafton
Sunday: Sapphire Coast