Backbone completed a brilliant win in taking out the Ascot Racecourse Handicap at Flemington.

Since the gelding’s previous win at Caulfield in the spring he has had a stable change, from Michael Kent at Cranbourne, to Darren Weir at Ballarat.

This was his third start under Weir, at his two previous runs at Moonee Valley and Cranbourne he looked a bit ordinary.

The horse was first sent down to the Warrnambool among the sand dunes and the beaches; it was soon discovered though this horse is not a beach baby.

Weir is blessed with excellent facilities, with the best of two worlds, Warrnambool suits most horses but when it doesn’t there is no beating Ballarat.

A change of tactics may have also been a telling factor in the win of Backbone; he was sent over 1000 metres at 7am on Thursday morning and was sent out for a repeat at 11am.

The straight 1400 metres is the best training track in the land, it lessens the pressure on the near side foreleg which is a great asset.

Ballarat training track is unique and testing, the first 1000 metres there is a rise in the ground of 3 percent and the last 400 metres a rise of 16 percent.

Backbone by Mossman