Written by Bren O'Brien
Jockey Fred Kersley and trainer Danny O'Brien combined for their first winner, with the smart debut victory of It'sourtime (Time For War) in a Sale maiden on Sunday.
The 3-year-old gelding was making his first racetrack appearance after a couple of recent jump-outs, and while he endured some mid-race interference which saw him shuffled back to last, he was able to unleash a powerful finish over the 1110 metres to prove far too good, defeating Just Malcolm (Squamosa) and All Stardom (All Too Hard), who looked assured of fighting out the finish until It'sourtime's late intervention.
Kersley, who has been working more closely with the O'Brien stable in recent months, was delighted to get his first winner for the stable on a horse he has been working with in the lead-up to his debut.
"He's a horse that has always shown the stable that he has ability. He had a nice jump-out at Geelong and I’d sat on him at the jump-out the one before and he had given me a nice feel. Coming here today, there was some confidence," the former Western Australian hoop said.
"I've been doing a lot of work with Danny and he has rewarded me with some nice rides and we just haven't been able to get the job done. Coming here today on this fella, to have a nice easy victory, it's nice to open the bank account with Danny."
"I've been doing a lot of work with Danny and he has rewarded me with some nice rides." - Fred Kersley
Stable representative Jack Howard said it was a significant victory, not only for Kersley, but for owner Steven Pitts, who bred It'sourtime at his Nug Nug Farm in north-eastern Victoria.
"It’s good to get Freddy a winner for us and it’s great for the owner Mr Pitts. It’s also the strapper's first win, so it’s firsts all around," he said.
Fred Kersley and It'sourtime return to scale
Howard said that while the build-up to It'sourtime's debut has been very good, it was important to see him put his best forward on raceday.
"Jump-out form into race form can be two completely different things, but it's great to see him put it together here. We’ll get him home, see how he is tomorrow and reassess where he goes from here."
It'sourtime is a half-brother to Zahspeed (Speed 'N' Power {NZ}), who was a handy galloper for O'Brien and Pitts before being sold to initially race in Brisbane and then the Northern Territory, where he won the 2018 Darwin Cup for trainer Gary Clarke. He won 10 races in all and was placed in a Listed Brisbane H.
It'sourtime was offered for sale at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Widden Stud, but did not reach his $100,000 reserve. He is from the extended family of champion filly Dual Choice (Showdown {GB}).
It'sourtime as a yearling