(Photo: Ross Stanley)
June 22, 2018
There was no cause for lighting up celebratory Havana cigars for the Glenn Richardson team after Wednesday’s Battle Of The Bush barrier draw in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall.
It was a luckless experience for Nanango’s aspirants with Klammer’s part-owner Peter Jackson picking up the small gold cup with the numeral 16 on the under side.
Not long afterwards, Marc Alexander, Canid’s strapper and part-owner lifted up the mini, keepsake trophy with 20 showing on the bottom.
Given that four of the first five reserves have all drawn inside the South Burnett duo, Canid looks certain to jump from gate 15 in the 16 horse line up while Klammer will have eleven rivals on his near-side when the starter releases the button.
It is timely to wish Hannah English and Klammer – and Brooke Stower and Canid – all the very best breaks in running.
Win, lose or draw, it is quite a feat to secure a finals berth.
Both horses deserve their chance and Richardson has done extremely well in planning their campaigns.
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The $100,000 Battle Of The Bush final (1200m) is the third event on Saturday’s Doomben card, and is scheduled for 12:44pm.
Punters will find the contest difficult to assess with so many diverse form lines to balance.
The rail will be out at the 3.5 metre mark.
It was in the true position for the Stradbroke program a fortnight ago.
For the previous meeting there on May 26, the rail was in the 4.5 metres position.
The opening race on that occasion was over 1200 metres and the favourite Tyzone, from barrier 11, accounted for a dozen opponents.
One consolation for incurring a wide despatch point is that the best of the ground is probably out there during the settling down phase.
When the early pressure is on, the horses may feel more confident underfoot than those traversing the heavily used inside portion.
However, that notion is offset by the fact that Doomben has been a racing venue just once this month.
Also on Saturday, Hannah English will be able to claim three kilograms when she rides Nanango galloper Machu Picchu in the following race, the Matt, Stav and Abby Class 6 Handicap (1350m) for Brian Laherty and his son Darren.
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Bits And Bridles About The Battle
- The North Burnett gained a slice of the action when Darryl Gardiner did not proceed with Emperor Maximilan. Better Idea, the runner-up in the Bundaberg Qualifier, takes its place. The Strada gelding is prepared at Eidsvold by Bob Murray and it is great to see the family with such a long history with thoroughbreds get the opportunity to participate. The patriarch Jack Murray probably won’t tip you about Cecily Eaton’s mount. However, it is a safe bet that he won’t keep his hands in his pockets and will have an interest.
- When it came to the roll of the dice, the Bevan Johnson pair Fab’s Cowboy (with 18) and Exstratum (22) fared worst of all the camps. Conversely, Nathan Evans will steer Go Get Sum into the inside stall.
- Jimmy Orman, the Gatton lad whose first career victory was recorded at Nanango, partners the Mackay contender Stellar Knight.
- The organisers and series architects have done a sterling job putting this spectacle together. Surely it will become an annual offering. One little tweak that is worth considering is raising the minimum weight by just a kilogram to a 55 limit. That would be in keeping with the current country minimum. Another special condition could be the stipulation that riders, to be eligible, have fulfilled five non-TAB bookings in the previous year. It is slightly disappointing to see the likes of Corey Brown, Jamie Kah and Jim Byrne sporting silk in what has been a project designed to maximise bush participation. That’s racing, of course, and it’s perfectly fine at this time.
- I am very much looking forward to Saturday and trust there will be a marvellous roll up of supporters from around the state. This initiative merits public support. By the way, this Tattersall’s Club race day does have added attractions for children and will stage the last of the Brisbane carnival fashion competitions. If you are undecided about making a rare trip to a Brisbane racecourse, just seize the day.
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Hoofnote: Don’t forget the Wondai races on July 7. This week’s cold snap is a “warm up” to its Winter Wonderland theme.
The Battle of the Bush, of course, follows NSW’s successful venture of like concept. It is good, of course … but it is a long way back to Mt Isa etc if you haven’t won.