July 14, 2018
by Ross Stanley
Last Saturday’s memorial races for Lewis Duff and his son Neal at Wondai were marked by a number of high points for the clan.
Miki Nakao, the new apprentice for Lewis’s son Pat, made a successful debut in Queensland aboard the Elusive City gelding Canid, which travelled well for the 26 year-old before comfortably winning the Roy Radunz OAM BM 65 Handicap.
The Japanese lass, who had never been on a horse in her homeland, did her initial training at the Gold Coast.
The widely travelled two kilogram claimer’s diverse ports of call have included Wagga Wagga, the Northern Rivers, Walgett, Quirindi, Moree and Coonamble.
In her first six rides since venturing back north, she also saluted on Pat’s charge Venetian Beauty on her home turf at Deagon on Sunday and registered placings on Canid’s stablemate Revelio (Wondai) and Chilli Zaim (Grafton).
Neal’s son John has been in the international winners’ list of late.
He has a share in Autumn Rush, a victor last month in Singapore for the Australian expatriate trainer Steven Burridge.
Meanwhile John’s brother Brian took out the fashion stakes for stallions at Wondai.
Pat had a windfall at Doomben on Saturday. By scoring in the Duporth Tavern Handicap for juveniles, his hopeful Soaring Heart ($9.50) collected the $24,500 QTIS bonus and boosted his total purse for first to $67,200.
Cedric Duff, Pat’s twin brother, is enthusiastically proud of his thoroughbred and rural racing heritage.
It was fitting that he presented the trophy for the race that honoured his father to Mel Johnson, part-owner of Money Ad.
Her husband Bevan is the galloper’s mentor and part-owner.
Their young son Tyler wore his lucky horse-themed shirt to good effect.
Johnson is a seriously tireless wayfarer – his outfit competes at all sorts of venues.
Since the beginning of June, the Miles-based conditioner has also had runners at Gladstone, Tambo, Dalby, Rockhampton, Murwillumbah, Doomben, Charleville, Roma, Toowoomba, Alpha and Mackay.
All up, his 42 starters in that period have picked up five wins, six seconds and three thirds.
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Leave It To The Troopers
Consistency in any field of endeavour usually means the entity can be relied upon to do its best.
Sure, they’ll be beaten by a smarter performer.
However, they do keep the wolf from the door by picking up prizes for a place.
The victories by Monte Lago and Canid at Wondai are cases in point: the former has now had four chores at the course, and has taken home the bacon three times as well as a runner-up cheque.
In the Hams Cranes Hire BM 50, the $8 chance refused to be denied, prevailing narrowly over Lomi from the Lindsay Anderson yard.
The rising nine-year-old, with a current 72: 8-7-11 career line, was saddled up by John Hamilton.
His trainer-wife Kaylene, who was not able to attend the meeting, no doubt got a tremendous kick out of the veteran gelding’s effort.
Monte Lago’s jockey Hannah Phillips was also delighted.
She rides work at various centres and is the regular training partner for the bay by Encosta del Lago.
Canid’s Wondai record now stands at 6 for 2-2-0.
The fact that the front of Nakao’s silks were fairly clean post-race suggests that the bay missed any major kickback on a day when the track was sloppy but perfectly safe.
The seven-year-old’s three lead up engagements had chalked up successes at Nanango and Gayndah and an unplaced outcome in the Battle Of The Bush Final.
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Nanango’s Busy Agenda
The South Burnett’s next race program on Saturday, August 4 features the $10,000 XXXX Fitzroy Hotel Nanango Cup (Open, 1600m).
Early in proceedings, the Nanango Race Club’s premiership awards for Lee Park’s six meetings during the 2017-18 racing year will be handed out.
Local trainer Glenn Richardson and his apprentice Hannah English, who easily accounted for all her junior and senior riding opposition, secured their divisions while Canid, the deserved Horse of the Year, is a popular lodger at their stables.
A John Lee Memorial race will be sponsored by Deb Frecklington, the Member for Nanango and Opposition Leader.
The traditional Blessing of the Jockeys will open the new season and members of the Nanango Tourism and Development Association will gather on-course for their Founders Day awards session.
The Moffatdale Ridge Wines Fashion Theme will be Elegant Black and Ravishing Red.
