By David Gilbert
TWELVE months and 15 days ago, Mingbool apprentice Jacob Opperman had his first ride in a race here at Mount Gambier.
Tomorrow at Morphettville, the spiralling career of the 17 year old will reach new heights when he rides in the Group 1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville, brushing silks with the likes of Damein Oliver, Damian Lane and Michael Walker
Opperman is the regular rider of the Lee Creek (Mount Gambier) trained Royal Mile, a three-year-old gelding who has taken all before him in his brief career, with five wins and a second from his past six starts.
In what may be a first, I cannot recall a local jockey, let alone a local apprentice, riding in a Group 1 race previously.
Opperman warmed up to the task with the easiest of wins aboard the Grant Young trained Exalted Beast in the 2000-metre BM 58 handicap at Murray Bridge on Wednesday.
The last time a Limestone Coast trained galloper competed in Group 1 company was almost two years ago.
That was Casino Wizard, also from the Lee Creek stable, who finished ninth in the Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville.
Early markets have Royal Mile on the sixth in line of betting at around the $13 mark.
So, when was the last time a locally trained galloper won a Group 1 race?
My inclination is that we may have to go back just over 30 years when the brilliant Millicent sprinter Redelva won the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield as a $8 chance and ridden by Neville Wilson on March 7, 1991.
EARLY MINUTE FOR PARTICIPANTS
RACING at Naracoorte last Sunday ended half an hour earlier than expected when the final race and the subsequent two trials were abandoned.
Four jockeys and stewards inspected the track after race seven and discovered potholes between the 800 metres and 600 metres.
Stewards had noted even prior to the meeting that the track was showing some wear from previous meetings and jockeys on more than one occasion during the program mentioned to stewards divots were being thrown up during races.
There was further action on the track earlier in the day when the unraced Donatien Alphonse dumped jockey Ryan Hurdle on the way to the barrier prior to race two.
The three-year-old colt then jumped the outside fence, galloped through the car park and was eventually caught heading for home (Stawell) on the Langkoop road.
Then, at the conclusion of the BM 58 handicap, apprentice Ben Price was dislodged from Atomic Texie around 20 metres before the winning post.
A race fall can be bad news at any time, moreso in the home straight when the horses are galloping at full speed.
More than half the field were behind Atomic Texie yet Price miraculously escaped injury and was able to continue riding.
CUP MONTH OFF TO A FLIER
THE Millicent cup meeting is still over three weeks away (Sunday, May 30 at Penola) however the lead up to the annual fixture has already commenced.
Last Friday night, the Millicent Racing Club held the function for its 600 Club participants at the George hotel in Millicent.
“It was a great start for our cup month with a highly successful night and it was very pleasing to have some new club members come on board this year,” MRC secretary Simone Berry stated.
The three successful 600 Club members to win race naming rights for Millicent cup day are Festival Hire, the Somerset Hotel and The Border Watch.
One of the highlights of Millicent cup day is always the prestigious Redelva luncheon held in the dining room at the Penola racecourse from noon onwards.
“The capacity for the Redelva luncheon is set at 116 people and demand has been so keen there are only 25 tickets left even at this early stage,” Berry added.
Anyone interested in being part of the Redelva luncheon, priced at $140 per person which includes a three course meal, beer, wine and soft drink for five hours plus entry to the racecourse and a racebook, can contact Simone Berry (0459 428 291).
BOOKINGS REQUIRED FOR CASTERTON
BEFORE Millicent cup day, we have the Casterton cup meeting on Sunday, May 16.
Due to COVID-19, the crowd will be restricted to 1,000 people plus racing industry participants.
Casterton Racing Club manager John Donnelly expects all tickets to be sold by early next week.
“There are 400 people booked into marquees, more than 100 bookings have been set aside for members, so that leaves less than 500 bookings for the general public and a lot of those have already been snapped up,” Donnelly mentioned.
Bookings can be made online with the Casterton club and any enquiries can be directed to John Donnelly (0419 224 402).
AFTERTHOUGHT PROVED SUCCESSFUL
THREE of the seven winners at Naracoorte last Sunday came from Mount Gambier stables.
One of those was the Jamie Opperman trained Rohlon Drunk ($11) in the 1000-metre BM 62 handicap who is somewhat of a track specialist at Naracoorte, with four wins and two placings from nine starts there.
“He went terribly at Gawler last Sunday over 1100 metres and I entered him for this race as an afterthought,” Opperman said post race.
It gave Hong Kong born apprentice Angus Chung his first win on Limestone Coast tracks, so how come Chung was in the saddle and not Jamie’s son, Jacob?
“Jacob was already booked for Atomic Wizard (unplaced) when I nominated Rohlon Drunk,” Opperman explained.
Ride of the day went to Caitlin Jones for her victory aboard Runbro in the 2000-metre BM 68 handicap.
Runbro ($18-$11) had won over 1700 metres at Penola two starts back and Jones was quite content to sit mid field with the six-year-old gelding at his first try over 2000 metres.
Trainer Belinda O’Loughlin last year discovered a stayer with Muntham Missile, who went on to win the Hamilton Cup last October and Runbro’s strong finish suggests the stable has found the niche with Runbro.
Jockey Kate Walters broke a long run of outs when Coraggio ($19) led all the way in the 1430-metre BM 54 handicap for the Bob and Kane Post stable.
Walters had been knocking on the door of breaking through with three placings at Mildura the previous week and Coraggio never looked like being run down at his second run from a four-month spell.
“It could be her last chance if she does not show anything on Sunday,” Mount Gambier part owner Charlie Gibbs told me a couple of days before Eliza’s Gold ($9) won the 1430-metre maiden.
The Sue and Jason Jaensch trained mare gave her 17 owners, many from around Millicent, something to cheer about following three previous unplaced runs this campaign.
SUNDAY NIGHT HARNESS
IT is a return to night harness racing for the Mount Gambier club with the first of two meetings for the month of May this Sunday evening.
At Terang last Tuesday night, it took until the final event for a local stable to taste success.
After recent placings here, the Barry Finnis trained Seal The Destiny was at very short odds to take out the NR 45 pace.
Driver Jayson Finnis gave the four-year-old pacer the run of the race in the preferred one/one sit and Seal The Destiny ($1.80 fav.) won his second career race by three metres.
