David Gilbert
THE decision to race Disco Tilmorn in Adelaide last Saturday in preference to a start at Naracoorte the following day paid dividends for her nine owners.
To the tune of $10,425 to be exact as that was the difference in first prize money between the two venues.
The lightly raced five-year-old performer produced the goods to run home strongly and win the 1100 handicap at Morphettville in a race for horses without a metropolitan victory in the past year.
Trained in the Tatiara by Darryl Dodson, Disco Morn($4.50-$5.50) resumed from a six-week break to win her third race at start number 14 to give two kilogram claiming apprentice Ben Price the second leg of a winning double.
That two kilogram claim proved decisive at the business end of the race as the mare only got up in the final few strides to score by half a head after coming from seventh at the 400-metre mark.
At her previous start at Murray Bridge on September 7, Disco Morn finished fifth when favourite and it was discovered she had pulled up lame in the near foreleg.
The win proved somewhat of a tonic for Dodson, his first in Adelaide this season, who has been restricted in his movements due to back problems.
At Morphettville on Tuesday, catch-me-if-you-can tactics by local apprentice Jacob Opperman enabled the grey gelding Cryptic Currency ($10) to lead all the way and win the final event by three lengths for Murray Bridge trainer Matty Seyers..
NARACOORTE THE TRENDSETTER
THERE is no doubt that the Naracoorte club is the trendsetter this season of the five Limestone Coast Thoroughbred Racing clubs.
Proof of that was the meeting conducted last Sunday for what was a run of the mill fixture where the quality of horses competing was anything but exceptional.
That did not stop a very good Sunday crowd attending for which the Naracoorte committee can take credit for.
The Munro bar and the committee room were both booked out for private functions, and the members lounge was also full of patrons enjoying a day out.
This was in stark contrast to what we have seen so far this season at other tracks.
Leading from the front is the club’s energetic president Glen Hamlyn with his enthusiastic, infectious approach.
New sponsors signs have popped up everywhere, there is a new kids playground, the Munro bar has been renovated, two new sheds have been erected and there is plenty of new fencing.
Not to mention the total refurbishment of the two jockey’s rooms (male and female).
Membership has grown from 194 last year to nearly 300 so far this season and, in time, Hamlyn would like to boost it to 500.
“We already have 400 people associated with the 60th anniversary celebration for Naracoorte Seeds booked into a marquee for our next meeting on Friday, November 18 which will be a twilight fixture”, Hamlyn stated.
That will revive memories of the big crowd the Wrattonbully Vigneron’s meeting used to attract at the same meeting earlier this century.
BACK WITH A TREBLE
FOLLOWING a disappointing season in 2021/22 by her lofty standards, Naracoorte trainer Sue Murphy threw her hat in the ring for this year’s local premiership with a treble at Naracoorte last Sunday.
It all started in the opening event when the speedy Hi Smokey defied a betting drift ($2.50-$3.20 fav.) to make it five wins from as many starts on his home track in the 1200-metre BM 66 handicap.
His backers were a little fortunate to collect as Britney Wong, rider of the runner up Rohlon Drunk, dropped her whip half way up the straight when challenging the leader and the winning margin was only a nose.
Adelaide jockey Dominic Tourneur then teamed up with Murphy to ride her other two winners, the first aboard Hasta La Missile in the 1200-metre maiden.
It was a case of Hasta La Missile ($1.85 fav.) giving his rivals a start and a beating as the gelding was slow out, then over raced before strolling home to score with nearly five lengths to spare.
Hasta La Fiorente completed the Murphy treble in the 2000-metre BM 60 handicap after always looking the winner from the 400-metre mark.
That was the gelding’s second win this campaign and Murphy is keen to keep him going as that was the final qualifying heat of a restricted series being conducted around the state.
“He will now go to the final (a $50,000 event) at Morphettville in a fortnight’s time,” Murphy stated post race.
Mingbool trainer Ricky Bruhn had just the one runner at Naracoorte and achieved the perfect result when the heavily backed Goliotus ($9-$4) resumed from a two-month spell with an all the way win in the 1430-metre BM 68 handicap.
Trainer Darryl Dodson’s good weekend continued when Comrade Bill, looked upon by many as the best bet of the day, has no problems winning the 1100-metre BM 54 handicap.
Heavily supported later in betting, Comrade Bill ($2.20-$1.95 fav.) chased the outsider Montre until the home turn before jockey Kayla Crowther quickly established a winning break.
Morphettville trainer Jason Cannon won his first race on Limestone Coast soil when Son Of Akeed made a one act affair of the 1430-metre maiden.
The long 3.5 hour haul from Terang for trainer Jamie Barry was justified when In The Sun ($3.40-$4.20) broke through at start number seven to win the 1100-metre maiden to give apprentice Britney Wong her first ever South East winner
“She (In The Sun) deserved that win and she is hard to beat when she gets her own way out in front,” Barry confided.
Punters fared well with five of the seven winners being favourite and the longest priced winner was only a $4.20 chance.
NEW SPONSORS WELCOMED
TWENTY three new sponsors have come on board for the Mount Gambier racing club in the past 12 months, according to club president Peter George in his annual report to the club’s AGM last week.
Nearly 30 people, including a handful of trainers were in attendance to learn that the club has again recorded a loss for the 2021/22 season.
There are currently 302 members, and the recent success of the Jericho cup qualifying heat meeting in conjunction with the fundraiser for breast cancer will be on going next season.
Track manager David Shepherdson addressed the meeting and gave a very positive report regarding the track, however the chances of a fibre track being installed is still a fair way from fruition.
George is again at the helm for a second term with Graham Bell the new vice president.
EARLY CALL ON DUNKELD
IF you had plans to attend Dunkeld’s iconic race meeting tomorrow week, you can cancel them.
The meeting at Dunkeld has already been abandoned due to the ongoing spring drenching as the track and surrounds remain waterlogged, and track workers cannot get anywhere near the track to mow it.
Next Tuesday’s meeting at Hamilton also will not proceed following 200mms of rain at the course during October, and Racing Victoria are endeavouring to transfer it to another venue..
Racing locally is at Penola this Sunday with 109 entries received for the seven-race program and the meeting is being promoted as member;s day.
The Penola track on Wednesday was rated a Heavy 10 but will improve if, as forecast, drying weather prevails.
At the time of going to press, fields for Sunday’s harness meeting were not available, however club officials were confident of receiving enough entries for the season opener to proceed.
