 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2003
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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Kevin Judson has done some lifting in his day. He has won the world power-lifting championship in his grade, competed in the 1982 Commonwealth Games at Brisbane and won the ultimate title, Mr New Zealand.
He did some lifting a few months ago, of the spiritual kind, when he promised Gareth Dixon a horse whenever he chose to set up his own training stable. In February, Dixon was in business, and Judson was as good as his word. He sent him Allstar Blue Jean. Not only a star in name, but Allstar Blue Jean was a star in the making. He had been trained by Glen Harwood, until Harwood decided to seek his fortune in Canada. The 3-year-old had been an up-and-comer, but there was much ahead of him. It was now over to Dixon.
In short order, Allstar Blue Jean has raced three times for three wins. The latest was the $50,000 Nobilo 3-year-old Flying Stakes at Addington when he weaved his way from midfield to catch Raptorial, trained by Dixon's old boss, Tony Herlihy. On the way through, he hiked past the favourite Light And Sound and another esteemed employer, Mark Purdon.
Judson didn't see much of this, and had to settle on a television replay to see just how it happened. "I saw him on the corner, but not again until they went past the post and I saw him in front," he said. Judson has been in the car business and the gym business, and now he is a keen player in the amatuer drivers' ranks in the north. Dixon said Harwood deserved the credit for getting Allstar Blue Jean to the biggest level. "I had always thought he was as good as Elsu and the rest of the 3-year-olds, with the exception of Light And Sound. He was a victim of circumstances in the Sales Series, but the great thing with this horse is that he looks after himself. His heart rate is brilliant and he has a tremendous recovery rate, and he is actually getting better," he said.
Dixon has made a flying start to his training career, which only started in February. He has taken four to the races - Russley Fire, Allstar Blue Jean, Patch Adams and Rock'n Rhonda - and all have won. He is breaking in a number of yearlings, including sixv he will keep to train, by Holmes Hanover (two), Badlands Hanover (two), Dream Away and Il Vicolo. One of them is Judson's.
Considering Dixon has been around the world, caring for such greats as Pride Of Petite and Il Vicolo, his steady approach and early success is not at all surprising.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 2Apr03