By David Gilbert
NARACOORTE trainer Greg Scholefield won the $24,000 Golden Nursery final at Globe Derby Park on October 30 with Jawsoflincoln and is poised to win another final at the same venue tomorrow night.
Scholefield puts the polish on Stratofortress, a former Kiwi pacer, who won his heat of the NR 55-60 series in Adelaide last Saturday night and is the logical favourite for the $8,000 final tomorrow.
Stratofortress only joined the Scholefield stable back in the autumn and after one of his early wins in Adelaide, Scholefield stated “he’s a nice horse and shows promise”.
In hindsight that was a massive understatement as the gelding now has the imposing record of seven wins, five seconds and two thirds from 15 Australian starts, all since May this year.
There was never any doubt about Stratofortress winning his heat last weekend after the $1.45 favourite was able to lead with ease from the pole for claiming driver Corey Johnson.
What was impressive was the personal best mile rate of 1.56 (and also the quickest for the night) as Stratofortress made it five wins from his past six starts.
“We purchased him from a couple of hobby owners in New Zealand where he had won one race from 12 starts, and he hasn’t looked back since,” Scholefield said.
“He’s barely set a foot wrong of late and he is still on the way up and has plenty of wins in him.”
Should Stratofortress win tomorrow night, Scholefield will turn his eyes to Victoria after the borders are reopened next week.
“I can’t wait for the borders to open as it means far less travelling to western Victorian meetings for a start,” he said.
Stratofortress has drawn ideally in barrier two in tomorrow night’s final and Corey Johnson retains the drive.
LOCAL STAFF LAUDED
THE wonderful spring for trainer Peter Hardacre shows no signs of abating with the stable supplying another winner at Murray Bridge last week.
The change of seasons (and track conditions) has resulted in Hardacre being in the winner’s stall on a regular basis of late.
Although Hardacre is currently based at Murray Bridge where he is setting up his satellite stable, he was quick to praise the efforts of his Yahl based staff after the victory by Magic Reward ($9.50-$7.50) in the 1200 metre BM 58 handicap at Murray Bridge.
The chestnut mare had been off the scene for five months and all of her preparation for her return to racing was done by his stable workers down here.
“All of the credit has to go to my staff back at Mount Gambier as they prepared her very well and sent her up to me a fortnight ago,” Hardacre told the media post race.
The five-year-old mare is raced by half a dozen locals and was given a perfect run by Karl Zechner.
CROWDS DRIFTING BACK
IT is very pleasing to see race crowds returning in country Victoria, as was witnessed on Donald cup day last Sunday.
However, missing the boat was the Dunkeld cup meeting last Saturday where, for the second year in a row, the iconic meeting was run in eerie silence.
Tomorrow, up to 4,000 people are allowed to attend the revamped Penshurst cup meeting which has been moved from its traditional Boxing Day date.
So, how come Donald and Penshurst cup days got the green light for crowds to attend and not Dunkeld?
The Dunkeld meeting normally attracts around 10,000 people and that means a lot of equipment has to be hired and brought in to cater for such a crowd.
It requires plenty of early planning and, with plenty of Covid uncertainty, Dunkeld officials had to make an early call opting a few months ago to race this year without a crowd.
The local training combination of Bob and Kane Post have had a good start to the season and spread their tentacles interstate to supply the winner of the final event at Dunkeld.
Seven-year-old gelding Unlimited Ability ($2.90 fav.) relished the heavy going and ran home well for jockey Kate Walters to take out the 1200 metre 0-58 handicap.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? – GAVIN WATTS
THE number of gallops trainers in Millicent has diminished somewhat in recent years and Gavin Watts is one such mentor.
Watts did not renew his licence around a decade ago, a couple of years after Golden Snip, a winner of 16 races, gave him his last metropolitan victories in June and July of 2010.
Back in 2008, Watts trained the Mount Gambier cup winner Royal Blevic in what was a memorable day for the stable as Golden Snip also won on the same program.
These days, Watts and his wife Rosalie are happily retired in Millicent where Gavin still keeps an active eye on the local racing game.
Up until Covid intervened, the couple loved nothing better than heading to our northern states to escape our winter, however Gavin still keeps a keen eye on our local racing scene.
Gavin, along with fellow retired Millicent trainers Vince Bradley and Mark Dwyer, volunteer their services to the Millicent Racing Club by running the sheep side of the club which proved to be a financial bonanza this year..
He is also a former committeeman and vice president of the club.
“I had an owner/trainer’s licence for around 20 years and did most of my own track work, and I learned a lot from former Millicent trainer Noel Kent,” Watts told The Border Watch.
He made a nice profit around 20 years ago from a three year old by the name of What For who was sold for $90,000 and went on to win three races in Hong Kong under the name of Blossom Daily.
“In 2017, I bought a weanling at Oaklands and brought her home to be broken in,” he said.
“Sue Jaensch had her (Turfitt) initially and after she ran third in a trial at Penola last December, Sue advised me to take her home as she was above average.
“I kept a 10 per cent share in her and Turfitt won two races this year in Adelaide in the Gordon Richards stable.
“She is currently spelling and the plan is for her to tackle some of the bigger races in Adelaide next year.”
YOUNG TRAINER OFF AND RUNNING
THERE is both gallops and harness action in the Limestone Coast today with a semi-twilight race meeting at Naracoorte followed by Mount Gambier harness this evening.
Seven races at Naracoorte for tradies day with the first race at 2pm and the last at 5.55pm.where Wings Of Pastrami and Wild Willy appeal as good bets.
For the local harness meeting (see fields below), horse numbers are gradually increasing with four races, one more than for the meeting a fortnight ago.
There will be plenty of interest in race eight when local lad Tom Rundle ventures into the training caper with his first runner Milliondollar Kiss.
Rundle has only had his trainer’s licence for three weeks and, at 21 years of age, that makes him one of the youngest trainers in the sport.
