Giant WA-bred seven-year-old Infinite Sign manages to feed himself despite being without four teeth, two on the top and two on the bottom, the result of taking fright in a paddock as a youngster during a burst of lightning and crashing into a tree or a fence.
And Madeliene Young made the most of the opportunity to handle the monster pacer for the first time, replacing the gelding’s trainer and regular driver, her elder sister Jocelyn, who was enjoying the wedding of a former schoolfriend.
Infinite Sign went into the race with a losing sequence of 17, stretching back to an all-the-way win over 2130m at Gloucester Park on August 2, 2024. He was a solidly supported $1.80 favourite despite finishing a well-beaten eleventh behind Soho Moonraker in a 2130m event at Gloucester Park two nights earlier.
He began out wide at barrier eight and raced at the rear and met with a check on the home turn, with his reinsman Stuart McDonald saying this cost him the chance to finish sixth or seventh.
Infinite Sign was expected to lead from the prized No. 1 barrier on Friday night, but he was beaten for early speed by $14 chance Our Sandy Shore, who got a full length in front in the early stages but was unable to cross the polemarker.
“I expected Our Sandy Shore was going to cross to the front, but Our Sandy Shore went a bit rough around the first corner, and that helped us to lead,” said Madeliene Young.
After a fast lead time of 35.3sec. and a quick opening quarter of 28.8sec. Infinite Sign looked in serious danger. The next 400m sections went by in 29sec. and 28.7sec. and $9 chance Flying Rumour and Gaitcrasher ($6) appeared to have excellent prospects of beating the frontrunner.
However, Infinite Sign refused to surrender and held Flying Rumour at bay after that pacer had enjoyed a perfect trip behind the leader. Infinite Sign beat Flying Rumour by a neck, while Gaitcrasher fought on from fifth at the bell to finish a well-beaten third.
Infinite Sign recorded 1.54.7, the fastest rate of his 58-start career of 12 wins, 12 placings and $126,274. He is by Indomitable Saab and is the second foal out of Never Waver Lombo, who was retired with a record of 79 starts for eleven wins, 20 placings and $109,662 in prizemoney.
