July 10, 2015
Given that weather forecasters are expecting icy days ahead, the Winter Wonderland fashion theme for Saturday’s Wondai program should provide an ideal dress rehearsal.
The track action should also warm the heart, with the appearances of some interesting Burnett players, a number of Cup winners and an intriguing interstate visitor.
Locally trained conveyances will be supplied by Kristen Wenck (Col’s Pride), Lindsay Anderson (Glenthorn Avenue) and Tony Williams (Rhiannon Payne’s mounts Western Maizcay and Lillian Eliza).
Kingaroy’s Tom Moloney will line up with Famechon Baroness, a mare that looks well suited in the Lewis Duff Memorial Class B (1465m), and Chief Chargingbear, a veteran whose past two runs after a long break have been very encouraging.
On the downside, his 48 rating means he may find the BM 75 field a tad tough.
Glenn Richardson’s Canid (Hannah English) will step out after his four month spell in open company, while Barry Phillips will leg his daughter Hannah into Decillion’s saddle for the QTIS BM 60 Handicap, the 1100 metre curtain-raiser scheduled for 1:35pm.
The side had no luck with Captain Clayton and Lisa Fashionista at the Grafton Cup day fixture.
It always pleasing when gallopers with excellent credentials are cast to play a role on the playbill.
One of this weekend’s well qualified performers is Unique Fuse.
The The Barry Gill prepared six-year-old is sand track specialist.
The gelding collected the Gympie RSL Cup on home ground at his last outing.
All up his record of 55:18-6-5 has accrued almost $100,000.
Aashiq,the winner of last year’s Cups at Wondai and Kumbia, comes over from Toowoomba while Winner Wimmer, the recent Gayndah and Eidsvold Cup hero, could give Hannah English her initial success on a South Burnett course.
Bundaberg-based Blaze To Fortune, a winner 15 times already, could find the 1465 metres of the BM 75 Handicap an ideal lead up to his $17,000 hometown Gold Cup (1600m) on July 18.
As well as the usual strong contingent from the Darling Downs, Ballina trainer Stephen Randall has two of the seven open handicap acceptors.
Of the pair, Cearnach – to be handled by Stephanie Lacy – holds more appeal than Tycoon Sun.
It is long way to trek north, so it may be prudent to watch out for any market moves.
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It’s All About Placement
The old racing axiom about keeping oneself in the best of company and horses in the worst is a clumsy way of saying that realistic target-setting is a pointer to profitability.
This season’s statistics for Miles trainer Bevan Johnson exemplifies the strategy.
Naturally, substantial time and and effort are vital ingredients as well.
For the first 11 months of this season, Johnson-trained gallopers have raced at 42 tracks.
The most northerly were Mt Isa and Cloncurry. Noorama via Cunnamulla was the most south-western, and the most eastern to date is probably Gympie.
Birdsville, Corfield, Jundah and Muttaburra are also in the logbook.
The telling factor is that he has skipped Brisbane, its nearby coastal resort centre and the provincial spots north of Mackay.
The stable had four placings at Gladstone on June 27, then victories with Blue Jest at Mackay on July 2 and with Sialia Magic ($11) at Esk last Saturday.
On July 11 there are representatives at Charleville and at Wondai, where the ten-year-old Montanus may do more than just wave the banner.
The yard has turned out runners some 205 times for a 35-30-29 harvest.
For almost half the time, the string has produced podium placings.
The Johnson-Sean Palmer combination has enjoyed a 13-4-4 return from 43 associations.
The taste of success at Esk was soured somewhat when the Toowoomba-based apprentice copped a suspension for attempting to take a run on Ben Currie’s charge Lady Schiller in the opening event.
Stewards deemed there was insufficient room and so the Englishman will sit out two country meetings.
The in-form Montanus will have the advantage of Michael Murphy’s four kilogram claim.
The North Queenslander will be ultra keen to make up for his narrow loss at Esk last Saturday.
His present master Chris Munce was present and no doubt has passed on some precious riding tips for the lad who loves deep sea fishing and bullock riding.
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Bits And Bridles
- Jockey Ian Coombes has wasted no time getting back onto the winner’s list. The Gympie-based hoop injured muscles in his back in February whilst working at his timber mill job. He partners Desert Playboy, Foxy Saint and Casa Ciello at Wondai. At the Esk meeting, Coombes, on the fifth reserve Flower of Youth, had a head to spare in the Esk Friendly Grocer-Schweppes Maiden. Beaudesert trainer Ben Robinson landed the quinella with his more fancied candidate Canaden filling second spot.
- Norma and Joshua King, after picking up third money with Oh Golly at Oak Park last Saturday, have headed due south to run Delightsome in the QTIS Maiden at Ilfracombe this weekend.
- The South East Queensland Country Racing Association premierships are all up for grabs. Jason Missen leads the Jockeys division with nine winners. His success at Warra last Saturday was outside the district. Shaun Bayliss and Pietro Romeo, both with seven apiece, are the closest chasers. None of the top trio have upcoming rides that count.
- Billy Rose Derbyshire (16) and Hannah Phillips (12) should fight out the Apprentices title. However the Nanango junior’s one meeting suspension incurred at Esk will lengthen the odds as she will miss out on Bundaberg Gold Cup day opportunities.
- Barry Gill (13) or Bundaberg’s Darryl Gardiner (11) or possibly Danny Munce (8) should end up at the top of the Trainers’ ladder come July 31.
- Count Romano came away from his tough Queensland Cup assignment with $3,000 in his wallet for his fifth placing. He was well beaten but so were all those that finished worse than second.
