May 23, 2019
Saturday’s round of the Battle Of The Bush Series at Lee Park is shaping up to be as gripping as last year’s edition.
Peter Moody, an ambassador for some of the $10,000 Qualifiers and the $125,000 Final at Eagle Farm on 22 June, will be trackside for the South East Region’s only heat to be decided on grass.
In the corresponding Nanango event twelve months ago, the Glenn Richardson trained Canid edged out his stablemate Revelio and Phyllis Kalinowski’s charge Go Get Sum, the Exceedingly Good gelding that went on to fill third place in the rich finale at Doomben on Tatt’s Tiara Day.
Brian and Darren Laherty’s handy mare Machu Picchu, the Nanango sprinter whose recent Warwick success cemented a place in the Final, is chasing the more than handy prizemoney associated with Saturday’s Qualifier.
Should the consistent six-year-old triumph again in this leg, either Drum Master, the Warwick runner-up or the second placegetter at Lee Park would progress to the final.
The slot occupancy will come down to the one with the higher rating.
There are ten aspiring acceptors at Nanango that are equal to or better than Drum Master’s mark of 61.
Baker Boy, the 2018 Nanango Qualifier favourite, ran sixth in that Lee Park race, beaten by only three parts of a length.
Gatton mentor Brenton Andrew is having another crack with the Statue of Liberty (USA) gelding on Saturday. The eight-year-old warmed up to his task with a third to Machu Picchu at Warwick.
Richardson, who saddled up a trio a year back, is set to have the same chore again.
Although Canid was the first reserve, the old boy got a spot because Gendbien appears headed for the Thangool Qualifier.
Canid’s stablemates Schindler and Avalanche Warning are assured of their opportunities this weekend.
Music Scene, the fourth horse home in the Warwick leg, has been paid up for Nanango and Friday’s matching contest at Cunnamulla.
David Reynolds has Tapestry Vision, seventh in at Charleville, booked for the Lee Park heat.
The high level of competition in the Battle Of The Bush series is indicated by all the manoeuvres made by connections to clinch a final’s berth.
By accepting at a couple of venues, trainers can try to select their better option.
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Premiership Positions
While Nanango Race Club’s premiership winners for jockeys and trainers seem to be cut and dried for the 2018-2019 racing season, the Horse Of The Year title is still up for grabs.
The leader board going into the last day for the racing year at Lee Park reads as follows:
Trainers:
- Glenn Richardson (5-1-2)
- Cherie Vick (2-1-1)
- Jim Hanna (2-0-0)
- Bevan Johnson (2-0-0)
Jockeys:
- Hannah English (7-0-5)
- Hannah Phillips (3-6-0)
- Robert Faehr (3-1-2)
Horse Of The Year:
- Dabke (2-0-0)
- Lil Ruby Rose (1-1-1)
- Music Scene (1-1-0)
Hannah Phillips has the number of bookings required to have a chance to win but she needs to boot home at least four winners.
Cherie Vick, with three representatives, has a monumental job ahead of her.
Bevan Johnson has the numbers too, but he needs four winners on the day.
In the absence of Dabke, a success by Lil Ruby Rose or Music Scene would lift them up past the Jim Hanna trained galloper in the quest for honours.
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Bits And Bridles
- Kumbia trainer Royce Connolly continued his winning streak when his newcomer Aquabill ($9) saluted for Jason Missen in last weekend’s Jandowae Maiden. Although the former New South Wales galloper had previously never run a place, the Ad Valorem (USA) four-year-old had accrued $1,600 for his top ten finishes.
- The victory by Spirit’s Silk in a Toowoomba Maiden last Saturday continued the good run for Hannah Phillips with Spirit of Boom fillies from Matt Kropp’s Toowoomba establishment. The Nanango apprentice maintains an unblemished record on Spirit’s Choice after their two partnerships at Dalby and one at the Sunshine Coast earlier this year.
- Apprentice Josh Morrow picked up where he left off at Burrandowan. He again won the last on the card on Kieran Kirwin’s entrant De Bandit Vega ($5) in Class B company at Jandowae. It is quite rare for a four kilogram claimer to prevail when they cannot use any of their allowance. Morrow rides at 59 kilograms, the handicap allotted to De Bandit Vega. He is to partner Benz Express (61 kilograms) from the outside gate in the Heritage Bank Nanango Class B (1200m) on Saturday.
- There is certain to be a buzz in the air at Nanango Race Club’s autumn meeting. Large fields will be the order of the day and there will be many racing enthusiasts keen to have a chat with Peter Moody, the Queenslander who put the polish on the great mare Black Caviar.
