FOREVER Jude's part-owner, Adam Smith, paid trainer Muswellbrook mentor Tim McIntosh the ultimate compliment after the three-year-old won the tab.com.au Maiden (1280m) to give Grant Buckley his second winner at Muswellbrook on Friday.
"Tim has improved him by 10 lengths" Smith said.
"Transferring him to Tim was the best thing we have done."
Forever Jude was having only his second start for McIntosh after being switched from a Mid-North Coast stable.
Prior to arriving, it had raced five times for one third at Kempsey.
In two starts for McIntosh, following a spell, the horse ran a first up second at Scone followed by this win.
"He was an immature horse that just needed time and needed to learn how to settle in his races," he said.
"He is getting better but we still have a way to go with him."
Buckley said the horse had responded well when he asked him for an effort and he went on to win by half a neck from the Jan Bowen-trained Real Rainbow, having its first start for her after coming from the Central West where she was placed only once in 11 starts.
