August 12, 2018
Luke Nolen partnered Black Caviar for 22 of her 25 victories, and to date, Hugh Bowman has been on Winx for all but five of her 29 successes.
Although Dutch Treat, the recent XXXX Fitzroy Hotel Nanango Cup heroine, is not in the same league as those fellow mares, the daughter of Dutch Harry has profited from Matthew Gray’s piloting skills for seven of her eight first placings.
“Our only concern before the Cup was the firm surface,” White said.
“She had already won on good, soft and heavy going. Matthew is a very loyal jockey and the pair have a great bond.”
The five-year-old is prepared at Deagon by Trevor White who races the bay with his wife Sandra.
White has worked for trainers Ron Conquest, Tony Mazzaglia, Fred Best and Shaun Dwyer, been on the ground staff and a barrier attendant at Eagle Farm and also driven trucks.
The horse was bred by former Queensland mentor Shaun Dwyer, presently based in Bendigo, who put the polish on Regimental Gal.
The speedy conveyance was 2003-04 Champion Australian Three-Year-Old filly.
Her credits included a QTC McDougall Stakes, GCTC Magic Millions Classic, AJC Silver Shadow Stakes, AJC San Domenico Stakes, MVRC Australia Stakes and a VRC Lightning Stakes.
Although the attire of the Dutch football fans and the celebrants in Amsterdam on King’s Day remind us that the unofficial Netherlands’ national colour is orange, Dutch Treat’s colours are blue and black.
The set is likely to appear at Doomben on Wednesday when Gray seeks another wonderful date with his interestingly bred “mate”.
Dutch Treat’s pedigree includes Luskin Star on the paternal side while the past star’s parents Kaoru Star and Promising appear on the other side on the page.
Her genetic endowments also come from Danehill, Blushing Groom and Nureyev.
Coincidentally, Dwyer trained Dutch Harry and White handled Dutch Treat’s dam Couples of Three when she was in training.
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Cup Day Bits And Bridles
- There certainly were many at Nanango last Saturday who were paying their quiet respects for the late John Lee. Licencees, colleagues, counterparts from other race clubs, citizens and old friends took the opportunity to catch up for the Memorial race that is set to be run annually.
- Eidsvold’s Jack Murray, a country racing veteran well known to John, was delighted when the lightly raced Riverina Gold shed her maiden tag. The Equiano gelding is trained by Jack’s son Bob and raced by grandsons Christopher and Matthew. Also in the ownership is Jack’s daughter-in-law Lori. Her husband Lyle is the President of the South East Country Racing Association, a body that Lee had been involved with for decades.
- Meanwhile, Hannah Phillips, after taking out the Deb Frecklington MP-J.A. Lee Memorial BM 60 Handicap with Spur With Ease, reflected fondly on her early childhood memories of the late President. “When Dad (Barry) was training here, my little brother Louis and I used to play in the steward’s stand. John, for safety reasons, would hunt us out of the small tower,” said Hannah. Lee would have been pleased indeed that a locally born rider picked up a double and two seconds on Cup day.
- The Hooligan (Kelly Gates) made it a perfect two-from-two career line by adding the Star Motel Class B Handicap (800m) to his eye-catching Warwick Maiden success. The Tanabota gelding, bred by Shelia Laxon of Ethereal fame, jumped from the outside gate. The five-year-old really pinned the ears back in the straight to score narrowly but decisively. Although the field was far from strong, the rookie sprinter is still carrying L-plates and should improve further with the tutelage of Gatton-based conditioner Brenton Andrews.
- Name of the day: Jennifer Williams, trainer of the unplaced All American gelding The Trump Train, revealed that the monicker came from her son’s quip that “nothing will stop the Trump train”. By fluke, The Trump Train sported silks that brought the flag of the USA to mind.
