A More Than ‘Fair’ Long Weekend

It was more than a fair long weekend for WA sire Trade Fair.

Highly-talented Proceedwithcaution gained a convincing 1 1/2-length win in The Clubs Super Saturday Handicap (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday then The Yank won the 32RedSport.com Handicap (16 1/2-furlongs) at Wolverhampton in England on Monday.
Proceedwithcaution, winner of the Dayana Plate (2000m) and Listed Belmont Classic (2200m) at Belmont Park in July, resumed with a 1 1/4-length second to crack sprinter Dawn Approach in the Perth Racing On Facebook & Twitter Handicap (1200m) on January 10.
He then finished a 3len. ninth to Low Tide in the Tabtouch-The Home of Racing & Sport Handicap (1500m) on January 31.
Trainer Geoffrey Van De Molen said he had been pleased with Proceedwithcaution’s first-up run but may have left him short on fitness second-up.
Van De Molen said he had no big race plans for Proceedwithcaution and would attempt to work his way through the grades.
“There’s another 1400m race for him in three weeks,” he said. “I’m not convinced he’s an out-and-out stayer.
“It may have been the class of horse he beat last preparation that allowed him to get those distances. Only time will tell. At the same time, I would like to get him over a trip again at some point.”
The Yank’s success gave the lightly raced six-year-old two wins in succession. He had been successful in the Hands And Heels Handicap (14 furlongs) at Wolverhampton on February 2.
The Yank was held-up and finished strongly to beat the 6/4 favourite, Yorkshireman, by 3/4-length. He was ridden by William Carson, grandson of the legendary Willie Carson, the five-time champion British jockey who rode more than 100 winners in a season 23 times.