NO LUCK ABOUT CUP WIN
TATIARA trainer Darryl Dodson claimed his second Coonawarra Vignerons Cup when the five-year-old mare We’re So Lucky blitzed her rivals in the heat at Penola yesterday.
Dodson had previously won the feature race back in 2007 with Bad Billy.
“It’s a bit of a surprise really, as I thought she may have need another run to reach her peak,”Dodson said at the cup presentation.
“She was stepping up from 1400 metres to 1700 metres and her best efforts are over more distance.”
Punters were not so surprised at We’re So Lucky’s big win as she was one of the best backed runners all day, firming from $21 to $6.50.
In what was a superb performance, We’re So Lucky made a one act affair of the cup in the straight at only her second run from a five month spell.
“She always travelled well for me up in front and really found a kick when I asked for an effort at the 300 metres,” winning jockey Justin Potter said.
Left in her wake were the equal favourites Strategic Glass and Brigadier, while the well supported Hasta La Thomas ($13-$9.50) missed the placings.
For Dodson and Potter the cup victory completed a good day as it was the second leg of doubles for the pair, to share the honours for the day with Mount Gambier trainer Belinda O’Loughlin.
Temperatures in the low 40’s throughout the region had a marked affect on the crowd, but more than 1,000 people still made the effort to attend the time honoured meeting.
GOOD RUN CONTINUES
STABLES have their good and bad runs and the Dodson stable is currently having the former of late.
Dodson pulled the right rein by scratching the mare Berkshire Babe from Strathalbyn on Wednesday in preference for the easier 1700 metre at Penola yesterday.
Despite being placed only once at 14 previous runs, late backing saw Berkshire Babe ($13-$9) start third favourite and she upset the favourite Denominator ($1.65-$2) in the final few bounds.
Both Graffias and Berkshire Babe were left in front at the 300 metres when the leaders compounded and Denominator was presented with a rails run in the straight to give chase to the pair.
There were no excuses for Denominator which looked destined to win about 50 metres out until Berkshire Babe rallied strongly out wide on the track.
Punters shied away from the favourite Solaazem in a big way prior to the 1400 metre maiden.
On the home turn, it seemed their line of thinking was on the mark when Solaazem ($1.75-$2.40) was nearer last than first and wide on the track.
The complexion of the race changed in the final furlong with horses spread across the track and it was Solaazem which had the momentum up to give Mount Gambier trainer Richard Nicholson a most welcome winner.
Solaazem had the best form of an ordinary lot going into the race with two seconds in the past seven weeks and duly chalked up his maiden win at start number six.
TRIAL FORM FRANKED
A close third when not knocked around in a recent Naracoorte trial was enough to sway punters to send the first starter Naseeb out as favourite for the 1100 metre maiden.
Apprentice Victor Wong, who rode the three-year-old gelding in that trial, was back in the saddle and Naseeb gave Naracoorte owners Col Richardson, Ron and Marie Brighton yet another winner.
Naseeb is still very green with plenty to learn and gave her backers plenty of worries before unleashing a powerful run in the straight from back in the field.
All those in the betting filled the first four placings, with the third placegetter Casino Magic running a much better race than her two previous efforts.
Millicent owner/trainer Ian “Ned” Walker was very happy with the world after Visual Image returned to winning form in the 1100 metre BM 56 handicap.
Pleasing efforts at two runs back from a spell had Visual Image at his peak for yesterday’s race and his class prevailed once jockey Emily Finnegan secured a clear passage at the top of the straight.
Stable followers cashed in on the $4.60 available early and the six-year-old gelding’s odds were pruned to $3,80 favourite when the field was released.
Money for Rapid Action ($8-$4.80) and Honest John ($34-$14) was off the mark when both were unplaced.
The eye catching run came from the 50/1 chance Miss Hassletoff which ran home strongly from last to grab third spot.
SPECIAL RIDDEN TO PERFECTION
SOLID efforts at metropolitan level in recent times meant that This Kid Rocks, our special for the day. was always going to be a hot favourite for the 1300 metre BM 80 handicap.
Apprentice Melissa Julius gave the top weight as soft a run as possible in behind the leaders and it paid dividends when This Kid Rocks ran to the front with ease at the furlong pole.
But, those who took the short odds were more than pleased when the winning post arrived after the outsider Knightoftherealm made life very interesting in the concluding stages.
That was the second leg of O’Loughlin’s double after the promising filly Strategic Spice kept her unbeaten status at Penola intact 35 minutes earlier in the BM 60 handicap.
At the Penola meeting on December 27, Strategic Spice looked a real talent when winning her maiden before an unplaced effort next start at Strathalbyn.
The youngster was back to her best yesterday, despite a betting drift ($4.80-$6) and beat the favourite Iamthekey by half a length.
STARS WERE ALIGNED
THERE was no more impressive winner on the program than Queen’s Place, a 9.5 length winner of the final event.
The Ray Gilcrist trained mare put up a superb effort when fourth in the Bordertown cup last month, then never gained a run in the straight when fifth at Penola the following start.
All her stars were aligned yesterday and jockey Krystal Bishop made sure there would be no hard luck stories by taking Queen’s Palace to the lead.
And once Bishop released the brakes on the home turn, it was only a simple matter of collecting for her backers.
With money arriving for the third placegetter Tzarevna ($21-$8) and the unplaced Waterberg ($26-$8.50), the odds of Queen’s Palace blew like the north wind did all day ($3.50-$6).
Racing in the Limestone Coast returns to the Tatiara region when the Bordertown club host a meeting on Sunday, January 28.
Ride of the day: Melissa Julius (This Kid Rocks)
Black bookers: Miss Hassletoff, Queen’s Palace.
