David Gilbert
SENT INTO HOLIDAY MODE
MOUNT Gambier trainer Michael O’Leary was already in a happy frame of mind even before racing around the nation commenced last weekend.
He was, as always, looking forward to his annual sojourn to Cairns last Sunday to absorb plenty of winter sunshine and take in a race meeting or two in the northern Queensland city.
By late Saturday afternoon, O’Leary was well and truly in holiday mode after his promising galloper Maracourt resumed from a spell by winning at metropolitan level at Murray Bridge in the 1200-metre BM 62 handicap.
Eager punters snapped up the $15 bet in the two days leading up to the meeting and Maracourt went to the barrier as an $8 chance with Jason Holder in the saddle.
However, Maracourt’s chances of winning looked slim at the top of the straight where Holder found himself back among the cab catchers, as winners seldom come from the rear of the field at Murray Bridge despite the spaciousness of the track.
Holder opted for a path nearer the rails and Maracourt speared through to make it three wins from only five starts, all in 2022.
The four-year-old gelding races in the colours of part owner and breeder Bob McKay (red with a white sash), a long term O’Leary client.
Back in January, Maracourt made his debut with a victory in a 1100-metre maiden at Bordertown as a $5 chance.
It was start number three which really caught the attention of racegoers, when Maracourt defied a betting drift ($6.50-$8.50) and put up a huge effort to win here at Glenburnie on February 23 in a 1550-metre BM 58 handicap after racing three wide all the way.
“He’s a handy type and I will just poke around and race him through his classes,” O’Leary said.
It was nearly a race-to-race double for O’Leary when his other runner for the day, Scenic Host, a 20/1 chance in the final event, flashed home for a half-length second.
Picaroon, arguably the best horse in the O’Leary stable these days, was entered for the feature race at Bordertown the following day but did not take his place in the field.
“I was not prepared to run him on a heavy track and he will be saved for another day,” O’Leary said.
TAKE TWO FOR SEASON OPENER
AFTER a false start to the local 2022-23 racing season at Mount Gambier earlier this month, the season leapt out of the barriers with a seven race card at Bordertown last Sunday.
Fine weather in the couple of days leading into the meeting helped the cause and racing was conducted on a Heavy 8 surface.
It may have been a run-of-the-mill winter meeting, but South Australia’s top jockeys made the effort to come down from Adelaide.
Kayla Crowther, the former Victorian Jason Benbow and Todd Pannell – the premier jockey in Adelaide last season – added spice to the fixture and Pannell took riding honours with a double.
The only South East trainer to have success was the Bordertown based Jeff Searle with Cheeky Grace, a narrow winner of the 1200-metre BM 58 handicap.
The run of the day came from the Richard Nicholson trained Ravnikar in the 1300-metre maiden.
It seemed near impossible Ravnikar would get even close to the placings at the 400-metre mark but the four-year-old gelding rattled home and made up enormous ground in the final 200 metres to grab second prize.
The trial conducted after the final event went to Wings Of Pastrami, a Flemington winner from the Jeff Searle stable, who is set to resume racing in Adelaide tomorrow.
Mount Gambier is scheduled to conduct the next local meeting on Sunday, September 11 which will be a fundraiser function for prostate cancer and see the running of the longest flat race ever run at Glenburnie.
ENTERTAINED THE CROWD
PENOLA born jockey Caitlin Jones entertained around 60 people as the guest speaker at the recent Limestone Coast Thoroughbred Racing awards luncheon at Naracoorte.
Jones has ridden 284 winners throughout her career and her bubbly personality made her a breeze for compere Kevin “K.D.” Douglas to interview.
Her career started on the picnic racing circuit in country Victoria, a time she recalls vividly for the friendly atmosphere where everyone is still permitted to bring their own food and drink to enjoy in a relaxed atmosphere.
“I’ll always be a Penola girl at heart,” Jones said.
She admitted she has three aims to fulfill when her career ends.
“I want to ride until I’m 35 as long as I am fit and healthy, I’m interested in pre-training and the agistment of horses and I wouldn’t mind being a clerk of the course sometime down the track,” she said.
“Weight deterred me in my early years from becoming a jockey but being able to ride these days at 54 kilograms has enabled me to get more rides.”
Her career highlight so far came earlier this year when she went to Dubai to look after three horses for the Will Clarken stable.
When a female jockey pulled out of the International Jockey Challenge in nearby Saudi Arabia, Jones received a phone call to be the replacement.
“I thought it may have been a scam but it wasn’t and it ended up being a proud moment for me,” she said.
“I had never ridden on a dirt track and watched some replays and ended up winning the series.
“Dress wise, females have to be fully covered in Saudi Arabia and thankfully we did not have to cover our faces.”
LOCAL QUINELLA
APPRENTICE Jacob Opperman pulled the right rein when he opted to ride the Michael O’Leary trained Four Outlaws in preference to his father’s horse Mulga Lil in the 1700-metre BM 58 handicap at Warrnambool on Tuesday.
On the Heavy 10 rated track, young Opperman took the initiative of being the first jockey all meeting to hug the rails from the top of the straight and it worked a charm when Four Outlaws ($5) beat Mulga Lil by a length.
“Four Outlaws wanted to hang in on the home turn so I took the risk and let him make his run along the rails,” Opperman said.
The win for Opperman was soured a tad as he was fined $400 by stewards for excessive use of the whip.
KNOWN BY MANY
PLENTY of people on both sides of the border would have had dealings over the years with Arthur Young, who passed away last Friday at the age of 82 in Casterton.
Young was a vet in the western districts of Victoria for more than 60 years at Warrnambool, Panmure and mostly Casterton and even did a stint in England.
He was the vet at Casterton on race days and raced some horses over the years.
Young’s funeral will be conducted in the Casterton Town Hall from 1.30pm (SA time) next Tuesday (August 30).
COMING UP – Tuesday, August 30: Mount Gambier Harness Racing Club AGM, Greenwald Paceway from 7.30pm; Sunday, September 4: Casterton races (Heywood Cup).
