There has been some outstanding form from locally owned horses since last month’s edition of Around The Tracks, with Slots to feature in the Provincial Championship at Randwick this Saturday, as well as the Kris Lees trained filly Rustic Melody who booked a spot in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks over 2400m also contested at Randwick this Saturday.
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Slots has come back in fine fettle after a spell and she showed her class with a close up third behind Griante in the Group 3 Weona Girl Quality Handicap at Randwick on March 7.
She stuck on well to run third at the place odds of $25 and upwards and I am sure the owners had a decent go each way at their mare.
The placing gets the mare some black type on her pedigree page which will help when she’s finished racing in her breeding career.
To frank this form the winner of that race Griante then went back to Melbourne and ran a very game third in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley behind Lucky Hussler.
In her second start this prep Slots then contested the Newcastle 1400m heat of The Provincial Championships on Wednesday, March 18 at Broadmeadow, needing only to finish in the top three to qualify for the final.
She did just that, finishing a close up third behind the winner Magic of Dreams and runner up Oxford Poet.
Slots and her connections head to Randwick this Saturday chasing a share of the $300,000 prize money on offer in the race.
Best of luck to her connections Tavis and Caroline Chivers, Kel Sullivan, Allan Sullivan and Grant and Angela Hartman.
Slots has a career record of 19 starts for 4:3:2 and almost $80,000 in prize money.
A pretty good return on the original investment of only $1800 she cost at a Patinack Farm dispersal sale a few years back.
The Kris Lee-trained three-year-old filly Rustic Melody, whose owners include ex-Dungog all-age captain coach Andrew Taylor, ran an ultra impressive second in the Adrian Knox Stakes on Monday to earn her chance at Group 1 glory in this Saturday’s Australasian Oaks over 2400m.
Ridden by Brenton Avdulla, he gave her a good ride in behind the tear-away leader Candelabra and she stayed on and finished the race off very well to suggest the 2400m of the Oaks will suit her down to the ground.
She is currently $16 on fixed odds, a far cry from the $101 some of the connections snapped up after her last start win at Scone.
Congratulations to all connections of the horse, having a horse in a Group 1 race is an absolute dream come true! Good luck Boo!
Binalong Road, owned in partnership by a group of owners including Dungog’s own Damien Reeves, that had qualified for last Saturday’s Country Championship, was a victim of the atrocious Sydney weather over the Easter break and had to be scratched from the rescheduled Monday meeting due to the condition of the track.
Trainer Mack Griffith made the bold decision to scratch Binalong Road on Sunday morning after vet’s advice.
With a career chequered with injuries the decision, albeit a difficult one, was done in the best interest of the horse and hopefully the connections are rewarded with more wins down the track. There is a possibility of heading to Brisbane with him over the next few weeks. Good luck Damo.
Our Renaissance, trained by Jason Deamer and ridden by jockey Paul Hammersley, was victorious at Wyong on Sunday, March 22 in a benchmark 70, 1000m race.
Almost scratched due to the worsening track conditions, Our Renaissance jumped from barrier one and led the whole way to record her fourth career victory and second for her current owners who include locals Matthew Kearney, Peter and Ros Trappel, Jeremy Cross, Trent Turner, Scott Hancock, Luke Chant, Joel Kiem, Raider’s Racing (Stroud) and James and Katrina Lovegrove.
Our Renaissance has been a model of consistency since arriving from Victoria with two wins, two seconds and a fourth from her five starts.
She was originally nominated for Warwick Farm on Wednesday, April 8, but after the rescheduling of Doncaster Day from Saturday to Monday the Warwick Farm meeting was cancelled.
Inflatable Miss also trained by Jason Deamer, has continued to be disappointing in her two starts in March.
On Saturday, March 7 she ran 16 lengths and eighth in her most disappointing effort to date, before an improved showing at Muswellbrook on Sunday, March 29 when only beaten 2.8 lengths running fifth.
She has since been sold to new owners in Canberra and will continue her career down there. She was a good horse to her connections having nine starts for two wins and a second giving her owners the thrill of owning a winner.
Her connections included locals James and Katrina Lovegrove, Matthew Kearney, Peter Trappel, Ben Turner, Andrew Hill, Scott Hancock, Brian Simpson, Simon Beisler, and Ben Trappel.
Grey mare Paronella, has headed for a well earned spell after finishing 3.7 lengths and seventh at Cessnock on Monday, March 23. The mare had 11 starts this preparation for her connections winning two races as well as running two seconds and one third.
It was a good prep for the mare and she broke her maiden in style at Port Macquarie and her connections including locals, Ben Turner, Andrew Hill, Scott Hancock, Andrew Taylor and James Lovegrove will continue to race her next preparation.
The Terry Drayton trained and Cangon-bred mare Miss Rae Dane, raced by Ray and Audrey Neilson and their children Stephen, Robyn and Louise made her race debut running 10th at Muswellbrook on Sunday, March 29.
The trainer was happy with her effort and will look for further improvement next time she runs around.
The Octagonal mare Tongue and Groove trained by Kris Lees, contracted a cold and was unable to race as first planned so keep an eye out for her running around shortly for her connections Mark Peper, Paddy Dillon, John Middlebrook, John McDonald and Marty MacKay.
Miss Tripod raced by the same owners as Slots, had a first up run at Newcastle on Saturday, March 28, finishing sixth of sixth but doing what she needed to do first up.
She will be looking to build on her first prep where she broke her maiden status.
Congratulations must go to former Dungog resident Duane Dowell, who has recently taken up the role of CEO at Muswellbrook Race Club. A passionate racing man and top bloke, Duane takes over from the outgoing Helen Sinclair who leaves the club in a great position.
Duane has also had a bit of luck with horses he races with Mossman’s Gold winning at Muswellbrook on Sunday, March 29, on his first day in his new role.
And he had another winner, Texan Lad at Mudgee last Sunday, who won his 11th race and took his prizemoney to over $220,000. Well done Dowelly, well deserved.
