February 2, 2021
Trainers Lindsay Anderson, Glenn Richardson, Barry Phillips and Kym Afford have already saddled winners in 2021.
Anderson, the Hivesville horseman whose team works out at Wondai, has an amazing strike rate at present with Fend Off and Kentford.
Collectively, the pair’s last seven tasks have earned seven spots on the podium.
The former was third at Dalby in November while the latter saluted at Warra in December.
Last month, Fend Off shed its maiden tag for Gary Geran at Bell on January 2 and then won a Class One event impressively for Georgina Cartwright at Caloundra.
On Sunday, the same team missed out by a nose at Gatton in BM 55 company over 1400 metres.
The gelding by Shocking from Princess Pedrille has been obliged to jump from gate 11 at his last three starts.
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Ironically, the horse is part owned by Kratzie Racing No. 11 syndicate.
Fend Off’s effort at the Lockyer Valley course was full of merit.
Arguably, with a better draw, the lightly raced four-year-old would have enjoyed a more comfortable transit.
He was under pressure in the lead in the run to the turn but really stuck to his guns in the stretch after being headed.
If the winning post was just a stride further away, his valiant lunge would have prevailed.
Glenn Maxwell, the Australian cricketer who was in the original syndicate when the horse was a member of Henry Dwyer’s Victorian team, called stumps when it was decided to sell.
But Wayne Kratzmann, who is a former South Burnett Mayor and current Sales and Owner Liaison Manager for Dwyer, his Queensland colleagues John Lobban and Peter Frohlich along with some Melbournians opted not to bail out on the grandson of Mamzelle Pedrille, a seven times stakes winner by Zoffany.
Kentford, with Paul Hamblin in the cockpit, was second at Bell before the duo lost by the barest possible margin at Taroom last Saturday.
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The Glenn and Hannah Richardson combination were a length shy of a lucrative double on the soft surface at Rockhampton on Friday.
Arnwood made it two seconds in a row at Callaghan Park.
After a nine month absence, the Better Than Ready gelding was runner-up there a month earlier.
The win of the stablemate Sweet Venom ($10) in the Class 1 (1050m) was a jaw dropper.
The bay mare, having drawn the rail, was shuffled back when a number of runners came across in the early stages.
The six-year-old, after being second last at the 800 metre point, had a real sting in her tail for her rivals, flying home after threading a passage in the straight.
Previously, the daughter of Golden Snake (USA), a hero four times in Europe over ground, had been in the top four at each of her first eleven (of twelve) outings for Warrnambool mentor Daniel Bowman.
The maiden breakthrough was at Swan Hill, and she prefaced her Bell appearance with placings at Warwick and Thangool.
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Meanwhile, immense patience and perseverance paid dividends for Kartanup’s trainer and part owner Barry Phillips, his jockey daughter Hannah and the other co-owner Roobie Crumpton.
The statement that the Wicked Style (USA) gelding landed a maiden victory at its seventh attempt is the tip of the iceberg.
The achievement has involved clearing several hurdles.
“In the lead up to Kartanup’s debut in the Pat O’Shea Plate at Toowoomba in September 2018, an arsonist started a fire near our property,” Hannah recalled.
“Some 24 fire trucks arrived as well as a dozer.
“He cracked a pelvis and finished last in that two-year-old event.
“It seems that, in reaction to the noises, he leapt up too quickly when his napping was disturbed and injured himself.”
After a five month break, the youngster resumed and fared better at Ipswich in late February 2019.
Then complications with a gelding operation brought on bleeding problems and another stint on the sidelines ensued.
In short, Kartanup’s next three tasks during last year’s autumn encouragingly yielded runner-up cheques at Gladstone and Monto when he was beaten a nose.
At his sixth run, he missed a place at Thangool on November 28, 2020 when returning after another eight month break.
Hopefully Kartanup’s days of woe are behind him.
His dam, the Don Eduardo mare True Class, is a half sister to Joku, the winner of three Listed races, namely the 2009 BRC Bernborough Handicap, the 2010 Kilmore Cup and MRC John Dillon Stakes
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Last weekend, Gossiaux, under the tutelage of his owner Kym Afford, brought his Bundaberg scoreline to 8: 4-2-0.
The sand track specialist’s other success since relocating from Natalie McCall’s yard at Gympie.
The name Gossiaux is apparently linked to a pre-eminent family in France’s Normandy district during the Middle Ages.
The suggestion is that it comes from the personal name Gozzelin, which means “the little god”.
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Valentine Prelude At Nanango
As per tradition, the first race day of the year at Lee Park has a pink theme, because the February 13 fixture is on the eve of Valentine’s Day.
Coincidentally, the corresponding Flemington card honours one of the nation’s most loved females.
The Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000 metres) is a rich contest for dashing types.
Best wishes to all for 2021 – and fingers crossed!
