By David Gilbert
CHRIS Dycer has been a winner at most things in life that he has strived for.
Whether it be with his successful business, the Mount Gambier based Dycer Constructions (in conjunction with his son, Shane) or as a thoroughbred owner.
These days, the 71-year-old is semi retired, but his involvement in “the sport of kings” remains as strong as ever.
Chris raced horses successfully with local trainer Michael O’Leary for many years and, more recently, extensively with the OTI syndicate as well as a couple with Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander.
However, there is one dream left for him to achieve as he settles back and enjoys life in his later years.
He wants to win a Group 1 race somewhere in the world and the odds suggest his chances are quite reasonable of doing so.
Already, Chris and Shane have had three seconds at Group 1 level, the closest being with Gallic Chieftain, beaten in a photo finish in the 2019 Metropolitan at Randwick.
Last Tuesday week at Royal Ascot in England, the Harry Eustace trained Docklands ran second for the OTI syndicate in the Group 1 Queen Anne handicap over 1609 metres.
“There is every chance Docklands will come out to Australia to run in the Cox Plate and it would be good if the Moonee Valley Racing Club invites him to compete,” Chris stated earlier this week.
Even though it is almost four months away, this year’s edition of the Cox Plate is shaping as a mouth watering contest.
Names already bandied around as possible starters include Pride of Jenni, the sensational winner of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in April and last year’s Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior who has since won Group 1 races in Hong Kong and Japan.
Then there is the exciting two-year-old Broadsiding (who will be a three year old in August), winner of his past four starts in brilliant fashion.
All things being equal, Chris fully intends to be at Moonee Valley on the last Saturday in October to see if that elusive dream can come true.
IN THE BALANCE
WE are about to enter the final month of the racing season and most of the Limestone Coast premierships are well and truly up for grabs.
Following the Naracoorte meeting this Sunday, there are two meetings left at Mount Gambier and Bordertown during July.
There are three main chances for the jockey’s title, with Dominic Tourneur holding the smallest of leads with 14.5 wins, four seconds and 15 thirds.
Breathing down his neck is Jacob Opperman (14,9,13), although, for some unknown reason, his name has been omitted from the premiership ladders in recent racebooks.
Last season’s winner Kate Walters (13.8,10) is right in contention, while Kayla Crowther (11,8,9), Harry Grace (10,10,13) and Sairyn Fawke (10,10,12) are just off the pace.
It is a one act affair for the trainer’s title, with last year’s winner Wayne Walters in a race of his own (14,8,13).
The Walters stable had a rather lean run over the past six months, but none of his nearest rivals have been setting the world on fire either.
In his wake are Peter Hardacre (8,5,3), Andrew Bobbin (7,2,4) and Sue Murphy (7,1,6).
There are a handful in contention to take out the apprentice’s title.
Jacob Opperman leads (8,4,9), but his total cannot improve as he became a senior rider back in January.
Ready to overtake him are Jordyn Weatherby (8,2,5), Alana Livesey (7,7,10), the in-form Rochelle Milnes (6,4,1) and Margaret Collett (6,2,2).
It is a bottleneck at the top of the restricted trainer’s ladder, with Vanessa Hutchinson, Craig Stewart, Jeremy Kenny, Patrick Ryan jnr. and Lindsay Cadzow all on three wins each.
Presentation of all four premierships will be made at the annual luncheon for Limestone Coast Thoroughbred Racing at Naracoorte on Sunday, August 4.
LOCAL QUINELLA
THERE were two South East pacers in the feature race at Globe Derby Park on Saturday night and they duly ran the quinella.
The Greg Scholefield trained Mikicool ($2.60) made it four wins from his past six starts with an all the way win in the 2645-metre NR 72 pace, clocking a fast mile rate of 1.57.9 for the long distance event.
Twelve metres astern was Springfield Affair who was resuming from a 2.5 month spell and seems set for another good campaign.
PROVING THE FORM GOOD
THE form out of cups run recently in the South East and western Victoria has proven to be reliable at subsequent meetings.
We saw Picaroon take out the Casterton and Apsley cups in the space of three weeks, while the Millicent cup winner Red Patrol was well backed ($15-$9) before running third at Murray Bridge a fortnight ago.
Brawl rattled home for third in the Casterton cup, then flopped in the Millicent cup before a third in Adelaide last Saturday when specked from $23 into $9.
If you have been following, and backing, the Lindsay Cadzow trained Space Equity on an each way basis, you should be richer for the experience.
Space Equity was a $51 chance in the Apsley cup and caught the eye with a last-to-third performance.
The nine-year-old gelding was again the outsider of the field at Morphettville last Saturday ($41-$26) and was being hailed the winner 100 metres out when he hit the front before dying on his run and finishing second.
There was plenty of cheering all around the South East when Tippa made it successive wins in the third event at Morphettville.
The Shayne Cahill trained three-year-old gelding has a plethora of owners, many involved with local football at Hatherleigh, Millicent, Glencoe, Mount Gambier, Naracoorte and Nangwarry.
TWO MEETINGS ON SUNDAY
THE jumping season in Victoria is in full swing at present, especially in the western district of the state.
There were hurdle and steeplechase events at Warrnambool last Sunday and that will again be the case at Casterton this Sunday, followed by a return to Warrnambool the following Sunday.
Amongst the nominations for the steeplechase at Casterton is the track specialist Elvison who has become a real drawcard for the Casterton club.
The 10-year-old gelding has not raced for six weeks when successful in the Two Rivers steeplechase at Casterton and has been entrusted with 75.5 kilograms for Sunday’s race in his attempt to win his eighth steeplechase race at Casterton from 10 attempts.
It will be a big day for the jumping riders as they will be riding in every race, the three jumping events and five flat races.
There is also racing at Naracoorte on Sunday with seven events and the huge number of horses in work at present is obvious as the club received 168 entries for the meeting.
The track was rated a Soft 5 mid-week, but will be downgraded if the predicted rain arrives.
On a tough program, perhaps the Matthew Seyers trained Grand Host could be a good bet in the 1100-metre BM 68 handicap.
