David Gilbert
HASTA OUT OF THE WARS
INJURY plagued stayer Hasta La War showed he is back to his best form following an impressive win in last Saturday’s Listed $107,475 Port Adelaide Cup over 2500 metres at Morphettville.
Due to injuries, the Sue Murphy (Naracoorte) trained seven-year-old gelding has only had 24 career starts and Adelaide jockey Teaghan Voorham has been in the saddle for all eight wins.
After winning at Morphettville on September 25, 2021, Hasta La War was due to run in the Melbourne Cup just over a month later following follow up thirds in the Herbert Power stakes (at Caulfield) and in the Geelong Cup.
However, Hasta La War again went amiss with tendon problems and it took outstanding efforts by Murphy and the vet to get the gelding back to win his first race since that setback.
After settling midfield, Hasta La War ($14-$18) commenced a long run from the 600 metres to get the spoils and keep the dream of a Melbourne Cup start in November alive.
It was also an ideal tonic for part-owner Ron Brighton who is on the sick list and was unable to make the trip to Morphettville last Saturday.
“To get him back to the track has been fantastic and a dream come true,” an ecstatic Murphy stated post race.
“I’ve had dreams, he was due to run in the Melbourne Cup the other year and things went topsy turvy and he did the second tendon and we thought it (his career) was all over.
“Now we’ve won the Port Adelaide Cup, it’s a start and that automatically qualifies him for the Andrew Ramsden stakes at Flemington next Saturday week, so we’ll probably go there.”
Should Hasta La War win the Ramsden stakes, he will then be qualified for a start in this year’s Melbourne Cup on November 7.
“So, yes, the Melbourne Cup dream is still alive,” a still excited Murphy added at Naracoorte races on Sunday.
“He pulled up super after the Port Adelaide Cup and gave the impression he could have gone around again.”
The Port Adelaide Cup result really put South East racing on the map with the Mount Gambier trained Clever Man running a gallant second after tracking Hasta La War all race.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
ON the track it was very much a run of the mill meeting and the weather was showery at Naracoorte last Sunday.
However, yet again, the Naracoorte club showed why it is the premier club in the Limestone Coast at present at how to attract a big crowd through hard work and excellent promotion.
They are putting the other clubs to shame and it was an absolute pleasure to be in attendance with a mini cup day crowd and great atmosphere.
Two marquees were filled with racegoers as part of the stock agents, carriers and graziers race day program.
Each year at the Racing SA presentation night, there is an award for the leading country club for the season in South Australia.
The Naracoorte club should be nominated this season and it would not surprise to see them take it out.
Prior to race one, the 20 jockeys who rode during the day formed a guard of honour for a minute’s silence for the late Dean Holland while all proceeds from the crayfish raffle on the day went to the Holland fundraiser.
The crowd at Naracoorte was in direct contrast to Horsham races the previous afternoon where, despite free entry, the crowd was very poor, resulting in two of the three on-course bookmakers packing up and going home before the second-to-last race.
In this day and age, country racing clubs simply cannot compete on a Saturday against the winter sports such as local football and netball.
Limestone Coast stables had three runners in the 1400-metre 0-58 handicap at Horsham and duly provided the trifecta.
It is rare to see a horse come from last on the small, tight Horsham circuit, but the Richard Nicholson trained Ravnikar blew that theory out of the water.
Cheered home loudly by Nicholson, Ravnikar ($3.50) sprouted wings in the final furlong to beat Our Ellie Rose and Costa Margo and remain unbeaten this campaign after winning his maiden at Penola on Easter Sunday.
COULD BE HIS BEST
OVER the years, Bordertown trainer Jeff Searle has had some handy gallopers go through his stable.
Border Rain won the Bordertown Cup in successive years and Wings Of Pastrami, who won at Flemington earlier in her career, are a couple of horses to come to mind.
However, a four-year-old gelding in his stable at present by the name of Turf Decision just might be the best of all.
Turf Decision ($3.50-$2.60 fav.) made it four wins in a row when he resumed from a four-month spell in the BM 66 handicap at Naracoorte on Sunday and was easily the eye-catching performance of the day.
His winning sequence started at Mount Gambier last October when Turf Decision blew the start and still managed to win the maiden handicap.
There was a line of thought that the tight Naracoorte track with its relatively short straight may be against Turf Decision.
That appeared the case when he was second last early and was still well back at the top of the straight before swamping his rivals with his renowned finishing burst.
It was a good day for Searle who made it a double when Star Jan ($5-$4.20), formerly with the Lee Creek stable, was well ridden by Kayla Crowther to take out the BM 62 handicap.
Fellow Bordertown trainers, the combination of James and Lisa Dodgson, were in the winner’s stall early in the day when Sir Arminus ($4.20-$5) led all the way in the 1200-metre maiden.
Sir Arminus was up to his old tricks and played up badly after leaving the mounting yard, but still won with ease to give jockey Dylan Caboche the first leg of a winning double.
Trainer David Huxtable made the long trip from Kangaroo Island worthwhile when Niskie Latanie ($16-$12) gave Hong Kong apprentice Nichola Yuen her first winner in the Limestone Coast in the second division of the maiden.
Coraggio landed some nice bets ($4.60-$3.90) by leading most of the way in the 2000-metre BM 66 handicap for the Bob and Kane Post stable.
Kate Walters had the ride and was in the winner’s stall again at Warrnambool on Wednesday when she gave Warrnambool trainer Mark Greig his first carnival winner for 17 years when Delcoff ($51) won the 1700-metre maiden plate.
Also enjoying multiple success at Naracoorte were jockey Samuel Payne and Murray Bridge co-trainers John Hickmott and Carrina Riggs, all with doubles.
RICHER FOR THE EXPERIENCE
DRUMBORG trainer Rebecca East walked away with the $4,500 mini trainers premiership first prize which concluded at the harness meeting at the Greenwald Paceway last Friday night.
East made sure of the bonus by winning the maiden pace with the favourite Hez All Rock.
Hamilton’s Jackie Barker easily won the $2,000 driver’s bonus and had success early in the program when the outsider of the field Dancin With Elvis won for the Jim Barker stable.
Both East and Barker are in action at every local meeting and are worthy winners of the awards.
Although a contingent of local pacers headed to Hamilton on Monday, it took until the final race to get a win on the board.
The David Kemp trained Yappas Courage was one of the outsiders ($23) in winning the NR 55-60 pace for claiming driver Ewa Justice who used the sprint lane to secure victory in the concluding stages.
