Maligned galloper Mind Your Head has rewarded the patience of his connections and delivered on a six month plan to give trainer John Ledger his second Christmas Stakes win in three years.The six-year-old was at the crossroads last autumn but with the help of an unorthodox training program he has revived his career to score a long neck win over Orbit Express and Itsamonty in Caulfield's 1200-metre Listed feature on Friday.Ledger said Mind Your Head, who has won seven of his 24 starts, was more br
Maligned galloper Mind Your Head has rewarded the patience of his connections and delivered on a six month plan to give trainer John Ledger his second Christmas Stakes win in three years.
The six-year-old was at the crossroads last autumn but with the help of an unorthodox training program he has revived his career to score a long neck win over Orbit Express and Itsamonty in Caulfield's 1200-metre Listed feature on Friday.
Ledger said Mind Your Head, who has won seven of his 24 starts, was more brilliant than his 2006 Christmas Stakes winner Soleil but the adrenaline of race day turned him in to a barrier rogue and made him over-race.
"He was in heaps of trouble last autumn but we gave him a full six months in the paddock to give him plenty of time to forget all the things that were worrying him," Ledger said.
"We missed the spring and came back with purpose of winning this race with him," Ledger said.
Ledger acknowledged the contribution of his sons Chris and particularly Brad in the revival of Mind Your Head's career.
"Last Sunday Brad was out in the bush riding him through the scrub and swimming him in the Ovens River," Ledger said.
"It is long way from there to here but it suited his mindset."
Mind Your Head had the benefit of a trial win and first-up victory at his home track, Wangaratta, 10 days ago leading in to the Christmas Stakes which fuelled Ledger's confidence.
"Six months ago we said this might be his race," Ledger said. "It is a big thrill to win it for the second time.
Mind Your Head was among the leaders on a track favouring the front runners and when he took the lead turning for home Ledger knew he would be hard to run down.
"There was plenty of speed in the race which allowed him not to over race which is his habit," Ledger said.
"I thought on the turn they were not going to beat him as I knew he wouldn't stop."
The Christmas Stakes is the second stakes win for Mind Your Head who also won the Listed Anniversary Vase (1400m) at Caulfield in March last year.
In 2007 he was also one of the favourites for the 2007 Group One Goodwood Handicap (1200m) in Adelaide but after drawing wide finished seventh.
"We have no massive plans for him," Ledger said.
"But if he could get back to run in the Goodwood again that would be the ultimate."