A change of tactics for Scouting Wide produced the desired result when the in-form stayer ran his rivals ragged in the Christmas Cup at Rosehill.After Scouting Wide was well beaten by Star Ripper two weeks ago, trainer Tim Martin and fellow owner Peter Horwitz decided the only way to ride him in Saturday's Listed race was in front to make the 2400 metres a genuine staying test.Tye Angland obeyed the instructions to the letter and took Scouting Wide ($5.50) straight to the front and clapped on th

A change of tactics for Scouting Wide produced the desired result when the in-form stayer ran his rivals ragged in the Christmas Cup at Rosehill.

After Scouting Wide was well beaten by Star Ripper two weeks ago, trainer Tim Martin and fellow owner Peter Horwitz decided the only way to ride him in Saturday's Listed race was in front to make the 2400 metres a genuine staying test.

Tye Angland obeyed the instructions to the letter and took Scouting Wide ($5.50) straight to the front and clapped on the pace.

Dothis Dothat ($31) kept in touch while the rest of the field found themselves many lengths astern mid-race.

Angland gave Scouting Wide a breather then picked him up for the run to the line where he held off Bright Mind ($26) by a neck with favourite Star Ripper ($2.20) making some ground to finish 3-1/2 lengths third.

"He doesn't have a great turn of foot but we know he is a genuine stayer," Horwitz said.

"So we decided it had to be a genuine staying test for him to win and that's what happened.

"Sit-and-sprint racing just doesn't suit him and it's full credit to the trainer."

Martin had commitments with his young daughter at a gymkhana and couldn't make it to the track, something that initially dented Horwitz's confidence.

"I was a bit concerned when Tim said he would not be here because it's not always a good sign when the trainer doesn't come to the races," he said.

Bright Mind's trainer Chris Waller was at Rosehill and was pleased with the improved effort.

"He did a bit of work chasing so it was a very good run" he said.

"It was much better than his past few runs and we'll take a serious look at the Summer Cup now."

The Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Boxing Day may also be the target for the winner.

"We were going to turn him out and get him ready for the Brisbane Cup," Horwitz said.

"But we'll have to have a talk about the Summer Cup.

"Right now I feel we can take on the world."

The Summer Cup is not an option for Star Ripper with trainer Bart Cummings to run Zazabeau in the race.

"He has probably done enough this time in and we've got Zazabeau for the other race," Cummings said.

Scouting Wide has had eight starts this preparation for three wins and five placings with Angland aboard for all but one of his starts.

"He can't sit and sprint so we thought we'd try something different and it worked out," he said.