By David Gilbert
LOCAL trainer Dean Saxon was in the winner’s stall in Adelaide last Saturday for the third time this season.
Saxon’s winners have been well spaced this season and the victory by Mr Marathon Man on the Morphettville Parks track broke a 26-run of outs for the Cafpirco mentor.
His previous winner was here at Mount Gambier over four months ago on January 22 with Westminster.
Mr Marathon Man has always shown ability but has been a tricky horse for punters to catch on his day.
However, the nine-year-old gelding had backing last Saturday, firming from $18 into $14 in the 1300-metre BM 64 handicap.
Certainly, if you went on his fast finishing second along the rails on Casterton cup day then it was not hard to have something on the veteran performer.
However, at his next start at Murray Bridge, Mr Marathon Man failed to beat a runner home in a field of 15 after being backed from $15 into $9, but, to be fair, he was caught wide for most of the 1200 metres.
Coming to the home turn last Saturday, Mr Marathon Man was last and his winning chances again seemed remote.
Apprentice Ben Price then weaved some magic by saving ground, found a run through the pack and Mr Marathon Man defied his age by quickly sprinting to grab the lead and win his seventh career race at start number 75.
Mr Marathon Man started his career in France before coming to Australia in 2019 and had 23 starts for New South Wales trainer Richard Litt for one win in Canberra before being transferred to the Saxon stable in July 2021.
CUP TIME FOR OLDEST CLUB
ONE gets the impression they are a proud lot up Apsley way in regards to their racing club.
So they should be, as the Apsley Racing Club is the oldest racing club in Victoria and Sunday’s Apsley cup meeting at Edenhope will be the 168th running of the event.
Apsley raced on its own course until the late 1960’s when it was closed and Edenhope racecourse became the venue for its once-a-year meeting.
You may have thought that with only one meeting a year at another venue it may have seen interest in the club wane.
It is quite the opposite, according to first year president – and long time Apsley Racing Club supporter – Laurie Close.
“We have new blood on the committee and they are keen and we hope to build on that,” Close told The Border Watch earlier this week.
“Our committee has been female dominated for some time and it has been very successful.”
Indeed, if Close needs any advice as to how to run the ship he needs to look no further than his wife Sue who was president for some years over five years ago.
After the Apsley cup meeting was conducted at Casterton last year due to problems with the Edenhope track, there is optimism for the return to Edenhope this Sunday
The only hiccup is the weather as the Edenhope track is not known as a good wet weather venue which has resulted in the Apsley meeting being held elsewhere on three occasions in the past six years.
“Yes, there is an element of anxiety at present in regards to the weather this week,” Close stated.
“We certainly don’t need 50mm of rain but we could get away with 20.”
Alas, since that statement, Edenhope has copped its share of rain and the track on Wednesday was already rated a Heavy 10
“We are trying to weatherproof the event as much as possible and we are erecting a big marquee over the mount for protection for the public should it be showery,” Close said.
There should be a huge crowd at Edenhope on Sunday if the advertising leading up to the meeting is any guide.
To say the advertising in all forms of the media has been extensive in the past few weeks is an understatement.
Cup festivities start tomorrow night which will see the old Apsley hall rocking for a cabaret.
“We have an Adelaide band, Banjo Jackson and the three stooges, playing at the cabaret and also at the races the following day,” Close added.
Excellent nominations have been received for the eight-race card and there will be strong local support in the Apsley Cup for Mr Dependable, trained at Mornington by recently retired jockey Dylan Dunn.
“A group of Apsley people, including former presidents Tom Porter and Roger Pfitzner, recently purchased the horse from the Gai Waterhouse stable in Sydney with the prime aim of winning the Apsley Cup,” Close added.
Nearly 30 horses from Limestone Coast stables have been nominated for the meeting including five entries (Bear Arms, Coraggio, Farooq, Goliotis and Muntham Missile) in the $50,000 Apsley Cup.
PERFECT STRIKE RATE
TRAINERS in and around Adelaide must cringe when they see pacers trained by Greg Scholefield nominated for Globe Derby Park meetings
Last Saturday night, the Naracoorte mentor took three runners to Adelaide and achieved the perfect strike rate when all three saluted.
Mind you, you would not have got rich even if you took all three in an all-up win bet, as they all started favourite.
The combination of claiming driver Corey Johnson and Rakero Storm ($1.70) were successful again with an all-the-way win in the opening event.
Then regular driver Gaita Pullicino teamed up with Jawsoflincoln ($1.22) and Dina Mio ($2.30) for wins later in the program.
CHANCES STILL ALIVE
NARACOORTE trainer Sue Murphy’s quest to win her fifth Limestone Coast trainer’s premiership in the past decade is hanging by a thread after racing at Bordertown last Sunday.
Murphy and apprentice jockey Jacob Opperman shared the spoils on the day with doubles on a track which provided good winter going.
With three local meetings left to complete the season, Mount Gambier trainer Wayne Walters is in the box seat to win his first local premiership with a handy lead of three wins over Murphy.
There is every possibility his daughter Kate can win the jockey’s title for the second occasion, having won it previously back in 2008-09.
The Walters combination took out the opening race when the well-backed Melissa Kate (3.60-$2.90 fav.) overcame a two-horse battle up the straight with Shiny Rock.
Murphy rebounded quickly when Hasta La Fiorente also had bookmaker’s on the back foot when he won the 2000-metre BM 68 handicap.
Backed from $4.20 to start the $2.50 favourite, Hasta La Fiorente appreciated the drop back in class from his unplaced effort in the Millicent Cup a week earlier.
Opperman and Murphy then combined in the 1550-metre 0-54 handicap when Hasta La Prince beat his rivals fair and square.
In what was a Murphy quinella, Hasta La Prince overcame sitting three wide for the entire trip to pip stablemate Duke Of Anjou.
Opperman moved from fifth to third on the premiership ladder when a patient ride saw Canindae come from midfield to win the final event for Murray Bridge trainers John Hickmott and Caririna Riggs.
Black bookers from Bordertown are Innocent Peg (flashed home late for fourth) and Hasta La Fiorente (going through his classes well).
