Ron Macrae was a happy man at Ipswich yesterday.
The Toowoomba based trainer combined with young apprentice Cameron Dixon to secure a double at the meeting, winning with the promising Bonza Bronze before taking out the day’s feature event with the ever-consistent West Of Hollywood.
Dixon was superb on both mounts. He produced Bonza Bronze with perfect timing to seal victory late in the running in an 800m dash and then he showed how to overcome the disadvantages of a bad draw while still leaving something in the tank as he got West Of Hollywood to kick on late to land an overdue success in the Ipswich RSL Legacy Cup.
This was Dixon’s second TAB double. His first double came at Toowoomba.
For Macrae, Bonza Bronze’s win brought bitter-sweet emotions. It evoked the memory of that tragic day in June last year when Macrae’s smart colt Bonza Crop crashed to the turf and had to be euthanized.
The loss of Bonza Crop devastated both Macrae and the colt’s owners but they continued to move forward and, with only one change in the list of owners, they all shared in Bonza Bronze’s Maiden success yesterday.
“If he could be anywhere near as good as Bonza Crop I would be every happy,” said Macrae.
Bonza Bronze was winning at only his third time of asking and had featured in the betting in both of his previous starts.
“I thought he would win last time,” said Macrae, talking about the run on the cushion track at the Sunshine Coast where Bonza Bronze trailed in a distance sixteen lengths behind the winner.
“He came back shin sore there though,” continued Macrae. “In fact I’ve had a few problems with him being shin sore. So I’ve been struggling with him a bit. But today he put it all together.
“I’m going to give him a spell now. It’s nice to be able to do that with a win behind you.
“I would expect him to come back a lot better and a lot stronger,” warned Macrae.
Macrae was equally pleased with the win of West Of Hollywood.
“I was very worried about the draw,” admitted Macrae, “but the youngster (Dixon) did a great job."
It was West Of Hollywood’s third win from eleven starts and the fact that she also has four runner-up finishes to her credit underlines her consistency.
In fact West Of Hollywood has finished in the first two placings on all but one occasion in her six starts this year – and that was when she was ‘in season’.
West Of Hollywood’s recent run of runner-up finishes includes races in which she was beaten by She’s In The Guide and Hirsute, both above average performers on their day.
That West Of Honour, even allowing for the draw, was allowed to start at the odds she did was perhaps the only mystery of the race.
All the more for Macrae to smile about!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
WELCOME HOME DANNY BOUGOURE
He has always gone about his business in a quiet, professional manner. Never flash. ... always humble, which is probably the reason why Danny Bougoure’s return home has largely slipped under the radar.
The man who helped give Queenslanders some of their proudest moments with his exploits with the mighty Falvelon – two successive Doomben 10 000 victories as well as an International Sprint success in Hong Kong – is back from a four year long sojourn in Melbourne.
Bougoure took the last couple of months off to recharge, regroup and resettle, before getting back to business this week, kicking off the next stage of his training career and taking on the new challenge in the familiar surroundings of Eagle Farm.
“People tried to point me towards the Sunshine Coast,” said Bougoure. “They thought that was the way to go in terms of training facilities. But I trained at Eagle Farm before and know the conditions pretty well so it was logical for me to go back there.”
Was Bougoure ever tempted by the supposed advantages of the Cushion Track at the Sunshine Coast?
“Not at all,” was Bougoure’s straight reply. A further shrug of the shoulders suggested that the merit of that track should be left for others to debate.
Bougoure has taken ten boxes at Eagle Farm and currently has six horses in his care.
“I was offered eighteen boxes and pressed to take them, but that would have put me under unnecessary pressure,” explained Bougoure. “I said I was happy to pay for ten, even though I had less horses than that, and that’s the way the deal stands at the moment.
“Eagle Farm is the ideal location,” continued Bougoure. “Eagle Farm and Doomben are obviously right there. Then it’s not that big a trip either down to the Gold Coast and Ipswich or up to the Sunshine Coast. To me it is just the right centre to be at.”
So how was his time in Melbourne and why did Bougoure make the decision to return to Queensland?
“Training anywhere is a tough proposition,” answered Bougoure, “and obviously Melbourne is no different. It’s always competitive. It’s always difficult.
“I made some very good friends down there ... some will probably stay friends for life. But the bottom line for me came down to the lifestyle,” continued Bougoure. “The decision was that simple.
“I did give it a full go. I tried to see the good side down there, but, if you grew up in Queensland and were used to enjoying what we have here, Victoria can’t compare. You simply can’t beat the lifestyle in Queensland – and that’s why I am back.”
Many race-goers will be pleased that he is.
The man who helped give Queenslanders some of their proudest moments with his exploits with the mighty Falvelon – two successive Doomben 10 000 victories as well as an International Sprint success in Hong Kong – is back from a four year long sojourn in Melbourne.
Bougoure took the last couple of months off to recharge, regroup and resettle, before getting back to business this week, kicking off the next stage of his training career and taking on the new challenge in the familiar surroundings of Eagle Farm.
“People tried to point me towards the Sunshine Coast,” said Bougoure. “They thought that was the way to go in terms of training facilities. But I trained at Eagle Farm before and know the conditions pretty well so it was logical for me to go back there.”
Was Bougoure ever tempted by the supposed advantages of the Cushion Track at the Sunshine Coast?
“Not at all,” was Bougoure’s straight reply. A further shrug of the shoulders suggested that the merit of that track should be left for others to debate.
Bougoure has taken ten boxes at Eagle Farm and currently has six horses in his care.
“I was offered eighteen boxes and pressed to take them, but that would have put me under unnecessary pressure,” explained Bougoure. “I said I was happy to pay for ten, even though I had less horses than that, and that’s the way the deal stands at the moment.
“Eagle Farm is the ideal location,” continued Bougoure. “Eagle Farm and Doomben are obviously right there. Then it’s not that big a trip either down to the Gold Coast and Ipswich or up to the Sunshine Coast. To me it is just the right centre to be at.”
So how was his time in Melbourne and why did Bougoure make the decision to return to Queensland?
“Training anywhere is a tough proposition,” answered Bougoure, “and obviously Melbourne is no different. It’s always competitive. It’s always difficult.
“I made some very good friends down there ... some will probably stay friends for life. But the bottom line for me came down to the lifestyle,” continued Bougoure. “The decision was that simple.
“I did give it a full go. I tried to see the good side down there, but, if you grew up in Queensland and were used to enjoying what we have here, Victoria can’t compare. You simply can’t beat the lifestyle in Queensland – and that’s why I am back.”
Many race-goers will be pleased that he is.
Monday, August 18, 2008
PIPER CALLS THE TUNE
It was hard to stop Jana Piper from jumping out of her skin at the Sunshine Coast yesterday.
Her smile got bigger with each passing winner. Her body language became more animated with each visit to the winners’ enclosure and there was a spring in her step that showed just how much pleasure she was taking from the day in which she brought home the first hat trick of her race riding career.
“I’m on fire,” laughed Piper, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
The fact that Piper has displayed a recent, rapid rate of progress is no accident.
Behind the scenes, the young rider has been hard at work with her mentor, trainer Lloyd Brazier, whose stable she joined on a full time basis some five months ago.
That was a move which will forever have an impact on her future because Brazier’s commitment to helping the young rider to get ahead has already almost gone beyond the call of duty.
“I started with Troy (Hall) who was the one who first suggested that I become a jockey,” said Piper. “It was nobody’s fault, but I struggled there. It was probably too big a stable for me at the time. Troy’s got bigger owners and they bring priorities, which I understand.
“I needed a smaller yard,” continued Piper. “Lloyd has seven horses in training and from the moment he took me on things started to change for me.
“It has now reached the stage where Lloyd sort of works everything around my involvement. I get the choice of rides. If we feel something might not be good enough to feature, he’ll let me take an outside ride.
“We’ll give our horses some days off. That gives me free time to ride work for other trainers. That helps lift my profile, which is why I get a fair book of rides each week at the Sunshine Coast.”
But it is not just by allowing her greater involvement in the regular everyday routine of the stable, which boosted her confidence, that Brazier has altered Piper’s career course.
Brazier’s influence is most prominent as the guiding hand that has shadowed Piper throughout her steep learning curve, both in terms of the development of her riding skills and the strengthening of mental ability to cope with adversity.
A nervous beginning ... tough criticism ... formal censure. These were all hurdles that had to be overcome.
Lloyd Brazier takes up the story.
“Basically, at the start, Jana didn’t know too much about what she was doing,” volunteered Brazier, “and she copped a lot of heat for that.
“The Stewards were on her case ... sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly. We went to appeal twice when we thought they were wrong. Won one, lost one.
“But she was learning you know. It was really a tough time for her because she kept getting called in. Going into that room can be quite daunting for a young apprentice let me tell you.”
Enough to break a young jockey’s spirit I suggested.
“It almost did,” admitted Piper.
“They just kept giving me time ... you know ten meetings, twelve meetings. And even when we won one on appeal, I still did the seven meetings because they wouldn’t give me a stay of proceedings.
“And all of this while I was trying to compete against the likes of Glen Colless or Scotty Seamer when they came to ride at the coast.
"Riding against them was enough to flatten your confidence. Then being called in all the time added to my frustration. In those circumstances, you start to wonder what you are doing here.
“I was close to quitting, but Lloyd talked some sense into my head. He told me to stay positive. He said we’d get through it. He was just so supportive.”
Brazier did confirm that he and Piper had some meetings with the Stewards to try and gain a thorough understanding of their concerns about Piper’s riding so they could work at addressing them.
And Brazier, a former rider, is still talking, advising, encouraging.
“We talk every day,” said Brazier. “I tell her what she did wrong and why she got in that position. I tell her what she did right and the kind of things she must be aware of in a race.
“Then we do it some more the next day ... and the next day ... and the next. You just never stop learning and it’s an advantage if you can have someone pointing things out to you who has your well-being at heart, but who will point out your faults so that you can correct them.
“I’ve taught her how to conduct herself, and told her how not to conduct herself, with the stewards and owners. And the beauty of it all is that she listens and learns. That is why she is starting to get ahead.
“I’ve always told her to enjoy her successes when she has them, but also to always remember that by tomorrow, today will be gone. You can’t afford to get carried away with anything. You have to focus on what you have to do next. That has to remain Jana’s priority.”
Piper’s past record with Stewards does concern her.
“It’s a shocker,” she admits. “But I’ve been travelling pretty well lately and hopefully I can continue to clean up that record. I do feel that I am improving. I’m working really hard at doing that. I’m obviously getting more experience and hopefully that’s starting to show now, so I’m happy I’m heading in the right direction.”
Piper has to reach the twenty winner mark before she can apply to ride in the city. An application does not necessarily mean a license will be granted. Factors such as Piper’s disciplinary record, her level of experience and several other variables will be taken into account before a decision is reached.
But while Piper will be chasing those missing winners to open up her options, neither she nor Brazier intend rushing things along once that milestone has been achieved.
“Maybe I’ll wait till I’ve had twenty-five winners or something like that,” ventured Piper. “I’ll play that one as it comes.”
Brazier was more precise.
“I don’t think it’s about how many winners she has,” said Brazier. “It’s about when she is ready. When she gets to the city Jana will be riding better horses against better riders. She has to be both confident and capable going into that situation if she is going to survive the challenge. There’s still a lot to learn before that happens.
“I think she is about nine to ten months away from being able to go to town and I will hold her back as long as I can.”
To say that Brazier has taken Piper under his wing would sell short his involvement in the rider’s career. To say Piper needed a strong, helping hand through some testing times would be an understatement. To say that Piper has bitten the bullet and got on with the job would be fair comment.
All of their joint effort will be well worth it if the sentiments expressed in the final assessment by Lloyd Brazier, as to where Piper is headed, comes even close to being realised.
“If Jana continues the way she is going now with the same focus, she will be a superstar in eighteen months time,” said Brazier.
It was a statement spoken with true conviction.
Her smile got bigger with each passing winner. Her body language became more animated with each visit to the winners’ enclosure and there was a spring in her step that showed just how much pleasure she was taking from the day in which she brought home the first hat trick of her race riding career.
“I’m on fire,” laughed Piper, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
The fact that Piper has displayed a recent, rapid rate of progress is no accident.
Behind the scenes, the young rider has been hard at work with her mentor, trainer Lloyd Brazier, whose stable she joined on a full time basis some five months ago.
That was a move which will forever have an impact on her future because Brazier’s commitment to helping the young rider to get ahead has already almost gone beyond the call of duty.
“I started with Troy (Hall) who was the one who first suggested that I become a jockey,” said Piper. “It was nobody’s fault, but I struggled there. It was probably too big a stable for me at the time. Troy’s got bigger owners and they bring priorities, which I understand.
“I needed a smaller yard,” continued Piper. “Lloyd has seven horses in training and from the moment he took me on things started to change for me.
“It has now reached the stage where Lloyd sort of works everything around my involvement. I get the choice of rides. If we feel something might not be good enough to feature, he’ll let me take an outside ride.
“We’ll give our horses some days off. That gives me free time to ride work for other trainers. That helps lift my profile, which is why I get a fair book of rides each week at the Sunshine Coast.”
But it is not just by allowing her greater involvement in the regular everyday routine of the stable, which boosted her confidence, that Brazier has altered Piper’s career course.
Brazier’s influence is most prominent as the guiding hand that has shadowed Piper throughout her steep learning curve, both in terms of the development of her riding skills and the strengthening of mental ability to cope with adversity.
A nervous beginning ... tough criticism ... formal censure. These were all hurdles that had to be overcome.
Lloyd Brazier takes up the story.
“Basically, at the start, Jana didn’t know too much about what she was doing,” volunteered Brazier, “and she copped a lot of heat for that.
“The Stewards were on her case ... sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly. We went to appeal twice when we thought they were wrong. Won one, lost one.
“But she was learning you know. It was really a tough time for her because she kept getting called in. Going into that room can be quite daunting for a young apprentice let me tell you.”
Enough to break a young jockey’s spirit I suggested.
“It almost did,” admitted Piper.
“They just kept giving me time ... you know ten meetings, twelve meetings. And even when we won one on appeal, I still did the seven meetings because they wouldn’t give me a stay of proceedings.
“And all of this while I was trying to compete against the likes of Glen Colless or Scotty Seamer when they came to ride at the coast.
"Riding against them was enough to flatten your confidence. Then being called in all the time added to my frustration. In those circumstances, you start to wonder what you are doing here.
“I was close to quitting, but Lloyd talked some sense into my head. He told me to stay positive. He said we’d get through it. He was just so supportive.”
Brazier did confirm that he and Piper had some meetings with the Stewards to try and gain a thorough understanding of their concerns about Piper’s riding so they could work at addressing them.
And Brazier, a former rider, is still talking, advising, encouraging.
“We talk every day,” said Brazier. “I tell her what she did wrong and why she got in that position. I tell her what she did right and the kind of things she must be aware of in a race.
“Then we do it some more the next day ... and the next day ... and the next. You just never stop learning and it’s an advantage if you can have someone pointing things out to you who has your well-being at heart, but who will point out your faults so that you can correct them.
“I’ve taught her how to conduct herself, and told her how not to conduct herself, with the stewards and owners. And the beauty of it all is that she listens and learns. That is why she is starting to get ahead.
“I’ve always told her to enjoy her successes when she has them, but also to always remember that by tomorrow, today will be gone. You can’t afford to get carried away with anything. You have to focus on what you have to do next. That has to remain Jana’s priority.”
Piper’s past record with Stewards does concern her.
“It’s a shocker,” she admits. “But I’ve been travelling pretty well lately and hopefully I can continue to clean up that record. I do feel that I am improving. I’m working really hard at doing that. I’m obviously getting more experience and hopefully that’s starting to show now, so I’m happy I’m heading in the right direction.”
Piper has to reach the twenty winner mark before she can apply to ride in the city. An application does not necessarily mean a license will be granted. Factors such as Piper’s disciplinary record, her level of experience and several other variables will be taken into account before a decision is reached.
But while Piper will be chasing those missing winners to open up her options, neither she nor Brazier intend rushing things along once that milestone has been achieved.
“Maybe I’ll wait till I’ve had twenty-five winners or something like that,” ventured Piper. “I’ll play that one as it comes.”
Brazier was more precise.
“I don’t think it’s about how many winners she has,” said Brazier. “It’s about when she is ready. When she gets to the city Jana will be riding better horses against better riders. She has to be both confident and capable going into that situation if she is going to survive the challenge. There’s still a lot to learn before that happens.
“I think she is about nine to ten months away from being able to go to town and I will hold her back as long as I can.”
To say that Brazier has taken Piper under his wing would sell short his involvement in the rider’s career. To say Piper needed a strong, helping hand through some testing times would be an understatement. To say that Piper has bitten the bullet and got on with the job would be fair comment.
All of their joint effort will be well worth it if the sentiments expressed in the final assessment by Lloyd Brazier, as to where Piper is headed, comes even close to being realised.
“If Jana continues the way she is going now with the same focus, she will be a superstar in eighteen months time,” said Brazier.
It was a statement spoken with true conviction.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
BRYAN GUY OFFERS 'SHREWD BET' ADVICE
Trainers and Jockeys have forever been labelled as being notoriously bad tipsters. It might be a bum rap for some, but, rightly or wrongly, it is a description so steeped in time that current trainers and jockeys have no option but to wear that mantle as they go about their business.
So how bad can it be then when a trainer tips a jockey?
That is exactly what Gold Coast based trainer Bryan Guy has done by pointing punters in the direction of stable jockey Ric McMahon.
“I think putting money down on Ric for this season’s Jockey Premiership would be a shrewd bet,” stated Guy. “He’s putting in the work. He’s there at four in the morning. He’s riding trials. He is maturing and he is just getting better and better in the saddle.
“I think he’ll be a real contender for the title this season.”
By showing that much confidence in his jockey, Guy, by implication, is also making a positive statement about the standard of horse-flesh he has in his yard as that level of quality should play an integral part in any success that McMahon finds in the coming months.
But has McMahon himself targeted the Premiership as a realistic goal for the season.
“Oh absolutely,” answered McMahon.
“Particularly with Bryan (Guy) behind me. It does make my job so much easier.
“I know I have to work hard and I am doing that. I get up at 2.30am twice a week to go to ride work at the Coast and the rest of the time I am riding work at Eagle Farm.
“A Premiership won’t come easy ... but, yes, I think I can win it,” concluded McMahon.
The Guy/McMahon combination brought home Jazz Heart at double figure odds at Eagle Farm yesterday to back up their argument. It doesn’t take too many winners from the stable at those odds to keep punters in front.
So should you follow the Guy tip?
It's your call.
So how bad can it be then when a trainer tips a jockey?
That is exactly what Gold Coast based trainer Bryan Guy has done by pointing punters in the direction of stable jockey Ric McMahon.
“I think putting money down on Ric for this season’s Jockey Premiership would be a shrewd bet,” stated Guy. “He’s putting in the work. He’s there at four in the morning. He’s riding trials. He is maturing and he is just getting better and better in the saddle.
“I think he’ll be a real contender for the title this season.”
By showing that much confidence in his jockey, Guy, by implication, is also making a positive statement about the standard of horse-flesh he has in his yard as that level of quality should play an integral part in any success that McMahon finds in the coming months.
But has McMahon himself targeted the Premiership as a realistic goal for the season.
“Oh absolutely,” answered McMahon.
“Particularly with Bryan (Guy) behind me. It does make my job so much easier.
“I know I have to work hard and I am doing that. I get up at 2.30am twice a week to go to ride work at the Coast and the rest of the time I am riding work at Eagle Farm.
“A Premiership won’t come easy ... but, yes, I think I can win it,” concluded McMahon.
The Guy/McMahon combination brought home Jazz Heart at double figure odds at Eagle Farm yesterday to back up their argument. It doesn’t take too many winners from the stable at those odds to keep punters in front.
So should you follow the Guy tip?
It's your call.
Friday, August 15, 2008
NEW SALES AGREEMENT A BOOST FOR BREEDERS
Bob Bentley, Chairman of Queensland Racing Limited, has announced that Queensland Racing and Magic Millions have entered into a two year agreement whereby an “All QTIS Yearling Sale” will be held, commencing in March 2009.
The agreement means that the long standing QTIS scheme will now be linked to a yearling sale restricted to QTIS registered horses.
The carrot is that horses graduating from that sale will be eligible for a $4.19 million race and bonus series, backed by Queensland Racing, and, beyond that, each horse sold at the sale will also qualify for the $5.975 million Magic Millions race and bonus series.
This takes the total stakes incentive on offer under the new agreement to $10,165 million.
The payment of a fee of $3300.00 will be required for any horse to be eligible to chase these incentives.
The sale will be known as the QTIS 600 Yearling Sale.
The motivation for the deal according to Bentley, is to provide “increased incentive for owner’s to invest within the Queensland Racing Industry.”
“When considering that these horses will race for in excess of $10 million in additional races and bonuses, it is a compelling reason for both seasoned racehorse owners and those wishing to dip their toe in the water for the first time to be at Magic Millions in March 2009,” said Bentley.
Several leading breeders in Queensland expressed their views on the subject at the Queensland Racing Awards function last night. They unanimously praised this new initiative which some saw as a saviour for the breeding industry in the state.
The agreement means that the long standing QTIS scheme will now be linked to a yearling sale restricted to QTIS registered horses.
The carrot is that horses graduating from that sale will be eligible for a $4.19 million race and bonus series, backed by Queensland Racing, and, beyond that, each horse sold at the sale will also qualify for the $5.975 million Magic Millions race and bonus series.
This takes the total stakes incentive on offer under the new agreement to $10,165 million.
The payment of a fee of $3300.00 will be required for any horse to be eligible to chase these incentives.
The sale will be known as the QTIS 600 Yearling Sale.
The motivation for the deal according to Bentley, is to provide “increased incentive for owner’s to invest within the Queensland Racing Industry.”
“When considering that these horses will race for in excess of $10 million in additional races and bonuses, it is a compelling reason for both seasoned racehorse owners and those wishing to dip their toe in the water for the first time to be at Magic Millions in March 2009,” said Bentley.
Several leading breeders in Queensland expressed their views on the subject at the Queensland Racing Awards function last night. They unanimously praised this new initiative which some saw as a saviour for the breeding industry in the state.
LIAM BIRCHLEY IS TRAINER OF THE YEAR
Liam Birchley, who took out the Queensland Racing, Jim Atkins Trainer Of The Year award at a function at a city hotel last night, did not even think he would be nominated, let alone take out the prestigious prize.
“I really didn’t even consider it as a possibility”, said Birchley, “but now that it has happened I’m very grateful for the recognition. It is an honour.”
The recognition was achieved via a combination of hard work, perseverance and, ultimately, results, but Birchley was quick to point out that this past season had been a difficult one for all trainers, to the degree where just surviving could be seen as something of a victory.
“We all had a tough time with EI,” explained Birchley. “EI was new to us. Once the horses had been treated there was no right or wrong way to move forward and so there were many strategies put into play by different trainers.
“I put all my horses out,” continued Birchley. “I didn’t want to put any of them under any unnecessary stress. I just didn’t know enough about the virus and thought that would be the safer option.
“Some other trainers just kept going with their horses and they came good and won lots more races than I did, so, like I said, there was no right or wrong way of going about business. You went with your gut feeling and hope you came through.”
When he turned his horses out for a spell, Birchley did have some long term goals for his better runners on their return. He was eyeing the Queensland Winter Carnival, then many months away.
“My hope was that I would be in a position to do well at our Carnival, but at that stage that was all it was – a hope. There were no guarantees and I was just extremely lucky that some of my horses did come good at the right time and we got a fair run of results.”
Which win, if any, was a standout highlight of the season?
“I have to mention Pepperwood first,” answered Birchley. “His win in the BTC Classic was quite outstanding, yet he was such an unlucky horse during the Carnival. He just couldn’t draw a barrier. If he had you would have heard a lot more of him.
“Then, of course, there is Vietnam and Rags To Riches ... but I guess at the end of the day, I’d have to go for Devil Inside’s win in the Lightning Handicap as the highlight.
“Maybe it was the fact that it was her last run,” continued Birchley.
“Devil Inside had been sold to Jon Haseler of Glenlogan Park only a few weeks before that run and he let me do what I wanted with the horse. He let me place it where I wanted ... and to get a great send-off result like that in such scintillating fashion was really very satisfying for me.”
So to the last word ... Birchley’s acknowledgement of the part played by his staff in his success.
“Any trainer needs to have good staff if they are ever going to do well,” commented Birchley, “and I think I have got some of the best. I thank them all very much for what they have done to help keep the stable moving ahead.”
“I really didn’t even consider it as a possibility”, said Birchley, “but now that it has happened I’m very grateful for the recognition. It is an honour.”
The recognition was achieved via a combination of hard work, perseverance and, ultimately, results, but Birchley was quick to point out that this past season had been a difficult one for all trainers, to the degree where just surviving could be seen as something of a victory.
“We all had a tough time with EI,” explained Birchley. “EI was new to us. Once the horses had been treated there was no right or wrong way to move forward and so there were many strategies put into play by different trainers.
“I put all my horses out,” continued Birchley. “I didn’t want to put any of them under any unnecessary stress. I just didn’t know enough about the virus and thought that would be the safer option.
“Some other trainers just kept going with their horses and they came good and won lots more races than I did, so, like I said, there was no right or wrong way of going about business. You went with your gut feeling and hope you came through.”
When he turned his horses out for a spell, Birchley did have some long term goals for his better runners on their return. He was eyeing the Queensland Winter Carnival, then many months away.
“My hope was that I would be in a position to do well at our Carnival, but at that stage that was all it was – a hope. There were no guarantees and I was just extremely lucky that some of my horses did come good at the right time and we got a fair run of results.”
Which win, if any, was a standout highlight of the season?
“I have to mention Pepperwood first,” answered Birchley. “His win in the BTC Classic was quite outstanding, yet he was such an unlucky horse during the Carnival. He just couldn’t draw a barrier. If he had you would have heard a lot more of him.
“Then, of course, there is Vietnam and Rags To Riches ... but I guess at the end of the day, I’d have to go for Devil Inside’s win in the Lightning Handicap as the highlight.
“Maybe it was the fact that it was her last run,” continued Birchley.
“Devil Inside had been sold to Jon Haseler of Glenlogan Park only a few weeks before that run and he let me do what I wanted with the horse. He let me place it where I wanted ... and to get a great send-off result like that in such scintillating fashion was really very satisfying for me.”
So to the last word ... Birchley’s acknowledgement of the part played by his staff in his success.
“Any trainer needs to have good staff if they are ever going to do well,” commented Birchley, “and I think I have got some of the best. I thank them all very much for what they have done to help keep the stable moving ahead.”
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
STABLE APPRENTICES DO STEPHEN LEE PROUD
Could it be that a small page in history was written at the proud Tweed River Jockey Club at Murwillumbah on Monday?
I won’t claim that yet as I haven’t had time to scour the record books, but I would take the odds that the feat of the Stephen Lee stable at the meeting could be the first time that a trainer has had three stable apprentices all ride winners at the same meeting ... or, at very least, that no trainer has bettered that achievement.
“Pity they were not all for me,” joked Lee, who was justifiably proud of the efforts of his three youngsters, Emily Kehoe, Josh Jones and Samuel Payne.
Jones and Kehoe’s winners gave Lee a double on the day. Payne’s winner was for the Barry Bowditch stable.
Jones was first off the mark when scoring in an armchair ride aboard Easy Silence. The young rider has faced a great deal of well publicised adversity on several fronts in his short career, but the fact that he continues to fire winners back at his critics stands to his credit.
At times it must have been far easier to fold than keep going in his situation. That Jones has stuck to his task and forged some good results is a happy reward for both the youngster and those who have supported him during his troubled times.
Payne was the second of the Lee attached apprentices to visit the winners’ enclosure.
When he piloted Stitch It to victory in the fifth event on the card, the 4kg claiming apprentice Payne was winning for the third time in only nine rides, giving him a strike rate, for now at least, that would be the envy of any race rider.
“Just loving it,” was Payne’s only remark. And why wouldn’t you in his position.
For Emily Kehoe, who rounded off the memorable day for the Lee yard, her second successive win aboard the ever-honest Orpen Love was just another step in the steady progress this young apprentice has been making in recent times.
She is clearly thriving in the Lee stable environment which augers well for her future.
Record book stuff or not, the results of the Murwillumbah meeting produced a memorable achievement for the Stephen Lee racing family.
All credit to all involved.
One last word. You could do a lot worse than keep tabs on where Lee takes Easy Silence next.
The four-year-old mare was previously with the Gai Waterhouse stable, where she only had two starts.
She did not win, but was supported in the betting on both occasions so it fair to surmise she must have shown some ability in her first home.
But then she was withdrawn from action, allowed six months off and transferred into the care of Lee.
“Apparently she was a troublesome sort,” said Lee. “They struggled to keep weight on her or something like that and so gave her a break and then sent her to the bush.”
While you must take into account the quality of the opposition, the move has paid immediate dividends with the first win being posted with the minimum of fuss.
Jockey Josh Jones, for one, was impressed enough with the effort, or lack of it, required to take first prize.
“She’s a freak,” he said when dismounting. “I hadn’t moved on her by the 50m mark and I only did then because I thought I should remind her I was on top.”
Jones must wish everything in life could be that easy.
I won’t claim that yet as I haven’t had time to scour the record books, but I would take the odds that the feat of the Stephen Lee stable at the meeting could be the first time that a trainer has had three stable apprentices all ride winners at the same meeting ... or, at very least, that no trainer has bettered that achievement.
“Pity they were not all for me,” joked Lee, who was justifiably proud of the efforts of his three youngsters, Emily Kehoe, Josh Jones and Samuel Payne.
Jones and Kehoe’s winners gave Lee a double on the day. Payne’s winner was for the Barry Bowditch stable.
Jones was first off the mark when scoring in an armchair ride aboard Easy Silence. The young rider has faced a great deal of well publicised adversity on several fronts in his short career, but the fact that he continues to fire winners back at his critics stands to his credit.
At times it must have been far easier to fold than keep going in his situation. That Jones has stuck to his task and forged some good results is a happy reward for both the youngster and those who have supported him during his troubled times.
Payne was the second of the Lee attached apprentices to visit the winners’ enclosure.
When he piloted Stitch It to victory in the fifth event on the card, the 4kg claiming apprentice Payne was winning for the third time in only nine rides, giving him a strike rate, for now at least, that would be the envy of any race rider.
“Just loving it,” was Payne’s only remark. And why wouldn’t you in his position.
For Emily Kehoe, who rounded off the memorable day for the Lee yard, her second successive win aboard the ever-honest Orpen Love was just another step in the steady progress this young apprentice has been making in recent times.
She is clearly thriving in the Lee stable environment which augers well for her future.
Record book stuff or not, the results of the Murwillumbah meeting produced a memorable achievement for the Stephen Lee racing family.
All credit to all involved.
One last word. You could do a lot worse than keep tabs on where Lee takes Easy Silence next.
The four-year-old mare was previously with the Gai Waterhouse stable, where she only had two starts.
She did not win, but was supported in the betting on both occasions so it fair to surmise she must have shown some ability in her first home.
But then she was withdrawn from action, allowed six months off and transferred into the care of Lee.
“Apparently she was a troublesome sort,” said Lee. “They struggled to keep weight on her or something like that and so gave her a break and then sent her to the bush.”
While you must take into account the quality of the opposition, the move has paid immediate dividends with the first win being posted with the minimum of fuss.
Jockey Josh Jones, for one, was impressed enough with the effort, or lack of it, required to take first prize.
“She’s a freak,” he said when dismounting. “I hadn’t moved on her by the 50m mark and I only did then because I thought I should remind her I was on top.”
Jones must wish everything in life could be that easy.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
'GOOD THING' DOES IT THE HARD WAY
The well-supported Regal Castanea scored an overdue victory in the Country Cup Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
While all turned out well in the end, the ‘living on the edge’ route that the chestnut followed to claim his success would have had his connections reaching for the oxygen masks on more than one occasion.
The gelding jumped well enough, but slipped back on the early speed and had already been shuffled back to midfield 200m into the race.
When other runners, caught wide, chose to make up ground on the outside of Regal Castanea, jockey Scott Galloway maintained a patient approach, but their move had added a further complication to the task facing the favourite.
As the field turned into the home stretch, the question was not only the one of how much ground Regal Castanea had to make up, but whether he would have any chance of doing so, given the fact that he was surrounded by horses with seemingly nowhere to go.
The race commentary accurately summed up the position at the time with one caller saying, “Regal Castanea’s under heavy pressure turning from home. He’s a mile from them.”
Reach for oxygen mask 1.
The first 100m of the home stretch was to prove decisive to the outcome.
Had any of those numbered in the wall of runners ahead of Regal Castanea tired and dropped back onto the main fancy during this time, it would almost have been ‘race over’ for the Ron Mccrae trained four-year-old, as he would not have time to regroup if baulked.
But the field stretched away, leaving Regal Castanea some galloping room in which to go to work.
But just as Galloway looked to get out, Regal Castanea appeared to brush against the horse on his outside.
Reach for oxygen mask 2.
There was a commitment to the cause now though, and Regal Castanea pushed past that hiccup without losing any momentum ... and then there was a target.
Galloway’s choice was to take aim at the gap between Mohawk and Bann Ruby and hope it would not close before he arrived.
That was just the first step though, as Mohawk and Bann Ruby were themselves still some three lengths off the duelling duo of King Cash and All Again who were both flat out, disputing the lead.
At the 200m mark Regal Castanea was ready to take the gap, but would it stay open long enough for him to benefit?
Reach for oxygen mask 3.
And that’s when the complexion of the race changed.
Under a strong urging from Galloway, Regal Castanea surged through the opening and, as if buoyed by that move, exploded into action from the 150m mark.
It was time to set aside the oxygen mask and enjoy the ride.
“And Regal Castanea is coming from the tail of the field. He’s jumping out of the ground,” called one commentator.
Again it was an accurate description as Regal Castanea cut into the leaders advantage with every stride and arrived in good time to snare a popular victory from Scarlet Sari, who was also hitting the line hard.
Trainer Ron Mccrae credited jockey Scott Galloway both for the expertise of the ride and the value of his advice.
“Scott wasn’t happy with the blinkers on Regal Castanea last time,” explained Mccrae. “He said I should remove them and then the horse would be a 'good thing'.”
And so it proved to be, although perhaps via a script that proved a lot more complicated than Galloway might have originally envisaged.
While all turned out well in the end, the ‘living on the edge’ route that the chestnut followed to claim his success would have had his connections reaching for the oxygen masks on more than one occasion.
The gelding jumped well enough, but slipped back on the early speed and had already been shuffled back to midfield 200m into the race.
When other runners, caught wide, chose to make up ground on the outside of Regal Castanea, jockey Scott Galloway maintained a patient approach, but their move had added a further complication to the task facing the favourite.
As the field turned into the home stretch, the question was not only the one of how much ground Regal Castanea had to make up, but whether he would have any chance of doing so, given the fact that he was surrounded by horses with seemingly nowhere to go.
The race commentary accurately summed up the position at the time with one caller saying, “Regal Castanea’s under heavy pressure turning from home. He’s a mile from them.”
Reach for oxygen mask 1.
The first 100m of the home stretch was to prove decisive to the outcome.
Had any of those numbered in the wall of runners ahead of Regal Castanea tired and dropped back onto the main fancy during this time, it would almost have been ‘race over’ for the Ron Mccrae trained four-year-old, as he would not have time to regroup if baulked.
But the field stretched away, leaving Regal Castanea some galloping room in which to go to work.
But just as Galloway looked to get out, Regal Castanea appeared to brush against the horse on his outside.
Reach for oxygen mask 2.
There was a commitment to the cause now though, and Regal Castanea pushed past that hiccup without losing any momentum ... and then there was a target.
Galloway’s choice was to take aim at the gap between Mohawk and Bann Ruby and hope it would not close before he arrived.
That was just the first step though, as Mohawk and Bann Ruby were themselves still some three lengths off the duelling duo of King Cash and All Again who were both flat out, disputing the lead.
At the 200m mark Regal Castanea was ready to take the gap, but would it stay open long enough for him to benefit?
Reach for oxygen mask 3.
And that’s when the complexion of the race changed.
Under a strong urging from Galloway, Regal Castanea surged through the opening and, as if buoyed by that move, exploded into action from the 150m mark.
It was time to set aside the oxygen mask and enjoy the ride.
“And Regal Castanea is coming from the tail of the field. He’s jumping out of the ground,” called one commentator.
Again it was an accurate description as Regal Castanea cut into the leaders advantage with every stride and arrived in good time to snare a popular victory from Scarlet Sari, who was also hitting the line hard.
Trainer Ron Mccrae credited jockey Scott Galloway both for the expertise of the ride and the value of his advice.
“Scott wasn’t happy with the blinkers on Regal Castanea last time,” explained Mccrae. “He said I should remove them and then the horse would be a 'good thing'.”
And so it proved to be, although perhaps via a script that proved a lot more complicated than Galloway might have originally envisaged.
ONE HAPPY STRAPPER
There was one particularly happy strapper at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Bill Gavin was beaming.
“I can’t believe it! My last runner as a trainer came back a winner and my first runner as a strapper has just won. It’s just so good to be here,” said Gavin leaning on the winners’ enclosure.
Gavin did not renew his trainers’ license at start of the new season, opting instead to go to work for Alan Jones, that most accomplished of trainers, on the Sunshine Coast.
Gavin sent out his last runner as a trainer on July 23, when La Marianne did him proud, sealing a special day by winning in front of co-owners Les and Noeline Lowrie who had made the trip from New Zealand to watch their horse in action.
Then Gavin’s unusual double arrived on Saturday in the form of the dashing grey, Grey Stream, who prevailed in a hard fought finish to see off the persistent challenge of Frosty.
Both Grey Stream (one wide) and Frosty (glued to the rail) tracked the pace-setting call To Order from the break and then pressed forward on either side of the frontrunner to join issue in a stride for stride battle over the last 250m.
For a brief moment it looked like Frosty had gained the initiative, but Jason Taylor and Grey Stream were having none of that and they repelled that challenge to score by a short-neck margin.
That result was little bit closer than the win of La Marianne, who won by a little over 0,30 lengths, and was every bit as exciting for Bill Gavin.
The smile was still on his face long after he had led Grey Stream away from the mounting yard, which only goes to show that ‘that winning feeling’ can be experienced from many different perspectives and is always a pleasurable experience.
This was Grey Stream’s third win in four starts since the mare was relocated from New South Wales.
Grey Stream, who is owned by Gerard and Jan Nolan of Rosari Stud, has been booked to be serviced by General Nediym this breeding season. Whether Grey Stream will have another run before that plan is put into effect has yet to be decided.
“I can’t believe it! My last runner as a trainer came back a winner and my first runner as a strapper has just won. It’s just so good to be here,” said Gavin leaning on the winners’ enclosure.
Gavin did not renew his trainers’ license at start of the new season, opting instead to go to work for Alan Jones, that most accomplished of trainers, on the Sunshine Coast.
Gavin sent out his last runner as a trainer on July 23, when La Marianne did him proud, sealing a special day by winning in front of co-owners Les and Noeline Lowrie who had made the trip from New Zealand to watch their horse in action.
Then Gavin’s unusual double arrived on Saturday in the form of the dashing grey, Grey Stream, who prevailed in a hard fought finish to see off the persistent challenge of Frosty.
Both Grey Stream (one wide) and Frosty (glued to the rail) tracked the pace-setting call To Order from the break and then pressed forward on either side of the frontrunner to join issue in a stride for stride battle over the last 250m.
For a brief moment it looked like Frosty had gained the initiative, but Jason Taylor and Grey Stream were having none of that and they repelled that challenge to score by a short-neck margin.
That result was little bit closer than the win of La Marianne, who won by a little over 0,30 lengths, and was every bit as exciting for Bill Gavin.
The smile was still on his face long after he had led Grey Stream away from the mounting yard, which only goes to show that ‘that winning feeling’ can be experienced from many different perspectives and is always a pleasurable experience.
This was Grey Stream’s third win in four starts since the mare was relocated from New South Wales.
Grey Stream, who is owned by Gerard and Jan Nolan of Rosari Stud, has been booked to be serviced by General Nediym this breeding season. Whether Grey Stream will have another run before that plan is put into effect has yet to be decided.
RADECKER REBOUNDS WITH FEATURE RACE WINNER
Champion apprentice Mandy Radecker’s win on Rebounded in the feature race at Eagle Farm on Saturday sent a clear message to her rivals that she intends to carry on right where she left off last season and that, although one lofty ambition has been realised, she still has many fields to conquer.
“Yeah, just to keep winning,” nodded Radecker when asked of her aims for the new season. “Oh yes – and not to get injured,” said Radecker, nursing a pronounced facial bruising, courtesy of an untimely encounter with the back of the head of runner Spanish Fling a week earlier – the filly having flung her head back into the face of the rider in an incident before the start of the race.
“I guess I’m not off to a good start in that regard,” laughed Radecker. “But I least I haven’t been sidelined by the injury so it could have been a lot worse.
“She is a bit of nervous filly and when she broke away from the clerk of the course and saw she had nowhere to go she just panicked.
“The guys working at the barriers said it sounded very bad – like a loud crack - but she must have caught me more on the right hand side of my face than on the nose, because nothing was broken. Just a lot of bruising .. and that was painful enough,” continued Radecker.
“I couldn’t sneeze. I couldn’t yawn. It wasn’t fun.”
But a winner always goes some way towards making up for the downside of the profession.
Given the circumstances of being down on the ground being attended to by the medics one week and riding a feature race winner the next, Rebounded was probably as appropriately named a winner as their could have been in a result which continued Radecker’s run of regular successes.
Rebounded was superbly rated in front by Radecker before kicking on late in the stretch to secure his seventh career victory.
“I actually wanted something to go around me to be honest,” admitted Radecker. “Then he doesn’t pull as hard and it makes my job easier.
But with nobody else obliging, Rebounded was left with the front-running role and Radecker’s judgement of pace was put to the test.
Was Radecker confident all of the way? I put it to her that, if she was, she even had one of the race-callers fooled at the top straight when he suggested Rebounded might be coming under pressure.
“That was just my arms giving in,” answered Radecker. “I did know what he was capable of because I ride Rebounded in work every morning and, knowing your horse very well is a huge advantage and it can make a difference in those sorts of situations. So I knew he would be competitive all the way.”
And that is the way it proved to be with Rebounded responding in winning fashion to add another winner to the ever increasing Radecker ridden, Pat Duff trained combination honour roll.
Radecker is obviously very happy with the way things are going at the moment but she remains grounded about the task awaiting her in the future.
“I’ve just got to be realistic about what might happen, in terms of my opportunities, when I join the senior ranks,” said Radecker. “It’s going to be tough. But, like a say ... all I am aiming to do at the moment is to keep the winners coming. If I can do that, the rest will take care of itself.”
“Yeah, just to keep winning,” nodded Radecker when asked of her aims for the new season. “Oh yes – and not to get injured,” said Radecker, nursing a pronounced facial bruising, courtesy of an untimely encounter with the back of the head of runner Spanish Fling a week earlier – the filly having flung her head back into the face of the rider in an incident before the start of the race.
“I guess I’m not off to a good start in that regard,” laughed Radecker. “But I least I haven’t been sidelined by the injury so it could have been a lot worse.
“She is a bit of nervous filly and when she broke away from the clerk of the course and saw she had nowhere to go she just panicked.
“The guys working at the barriers said it sounded very bad – like a loud crack - but she must have caught me more on the right hand side of my face than on the nose, because nothing was broken. Just a lot of bruising .. and that was painful enough,” continued Radecker.
“I couldn’t sneeze. I couldn’t yawn. It wasn’t fun.”
But a winner always goes some way towards making up for the downside of the profession.
Given the circumstances of being down on the ground being attended to by the medics one week and riding a feature race winner the next, Rebounded was probably as appropriately named a winner as their could have been in a result which continued Radecker’s run of regular successes.
Rebounded was superbly rated in front by Radecker before kicking on late in the stretch to secure his seventh career victory.
“I actually wanted something to go around me to be honest,” admitted Radecker. “Then he doesn’t pull as hard and it makes my job easier.
But with nobody else obliging, Rebounded was left with the front-running role and Radecker’s judgement of pace was put to the test.
Was Radecker confident all of the way? I put it to her that, if she was, she even had one of the race-callers fooled at the top straight when he suggested Rebounded might be coming under pressure.
“That was just my arms giving in,” answered Radecker. “I did know what he was capable of because I ride Rebounded in work every morning and, knowing your horse very well is a huge advantage and it can make a difference in those sorts of situations. So I knew he would be competitive all the way.”
And that is the way it proved to be with Rebounded responding in winning fashion to add another winner to the ever increasing Radecker ridden, Pat Duff trained combination honour roll.
Radecker is obviously very happy with the way things are going at the moment but she remains grounded about the task awaiting her in the future.
“I’ve just got to be realistic about what might happen, in terms of my opportunities, when I join the senior ranks,” said Radecker. “It’s going to be tough. But, like a say ... all I am aiming to do at the moment is to keep the winners coming. If I can do that, the rest will take care of itself.”
TWO FOR CAHILL. TWO FOR THE NOTEBOOK!
The talent of jockey Michael Cahill, who brought home a quality double at Eagle Farm on Saturday, will once again be lost to Queensland racing for a period of time. Cahill will be taking up a contract to ride in Singapore at the end of August.
“Next week I’ll be away in Mauritius. I’m going there to watch my younger brother ride and then it will be on to Singapore,” confirmed Cahill.
"I’ll arrive in Singapore during the last week in August,” continued Cahill. “I had a license to ride there before I was injured and I’ve just kept my options open. This is a good time to put it to use.”
Cahill has been contracted for a period of six months.
Cahill has once again made his mark on the local scene in a short space of time since resuming race riding after his injury enforced layoff. His latest serving of success came aboard two very smart horses in the form of Burdekin Blues and Sommersea Drive.
The Barry Baldwin trained Burdekin Blues has now won five out of eight starts. While his strike-rate is most impressive, it is the manner in which he has gone about his business – such as his demolition job on the opposition on Saturday - that has caught most attention.
“He is a top liner in the making, there is no doubt about that,””enthused Cahill. “He just toys with those sorts of horses. There might not be any champions there but he has just got so many lengths on them.
“He wanted to get out on the track to where he raced last time,” said Cahill. “I didn’t need to hit him in terms of getting the result, but I did give him a couple of smacks just to straighten him up.”
Burdekin Blues, without being pushed out unduly at the line, stopped the clock in 1-09 flat, just 0,30 seconds outside of Tycoon Alley’s Class Record which has stood for more than three years.
Baldwin has targeted the Lightning Stakes as the gelding’s next assignment.
“We can always go there. We can always come back again,” mused Baldwin.
Burdekin Blues will now be spelled for a month before heading down south for that new challenge.
Whereas Burdekin Blues has been steadily building momentum, Sommersea Drive, Cahill’s second winner for the afternoon, has suddenly sprung to life. His latest triumph was his third successive victory.
Trainer Trevor Miller gives his view of Sommersea Drive’s rise to prominence.
“He’s always shown some ability so it is no surprise to me that he is starting to produce results,” explained Miller.
“I suppose you could say he was a bit of a slow learner,” continued Miller, “but ever since the Sunshine Coast Guineas (in which he finished fourth) his rate of progress has improved.
"He seems to be getting an idea of what racing is all about and he is going to get better than he is now,” stated Miller with outright confidence.
“He has been a busy horse. I think he has had maybe ten days off in the last twelve months, so he would be entitled to be going the other way and looking for a break. But instead he is thriving. So all of the signs are good” concluded Miller.
“Next week I’ll be away in Mauritius. I’m going there to watch my younger brother ride and then it will be on to Singapore,” confirmed Cahill.
"I’ll arrive in Singapore during the last week in August,” continued Cahill. “I had a license to ride there before I was injured and I’ve just kept my options open. This is a good time to put it to use.”
Cahill has been contracted for a period of six months.
Cahill has once again made his mark on the local scene in a short space of time since resuming race riding after his injury enforced layoff. His latest serving of success came aboard two very smart horses in the form of Burdekin Blues and Sommersea Drive.
The Barry Baldwin trained Burdekin Blues has now won five out of eight starts. While his strike-rate is most impressive, it is the manner in which he has gone about his business – such as his demolition job on the opposition on Saturday - that has caught most attention.
“He is a top liner in the making, there is no doubt about that,””enthused Cahill. “He just toys with those sorts of horses. There might not be any champions there but he has just got so many lengths on them.
“He wanted to get out on the track to where he raced last time,” said Cahill. “I didn’t need to hit him in terms of getting the result, but I did give him a couple of smacks just to straighten him up.”
Burdekin Blues, without being pushed out unduly at the line, stopped the clock in 1-09 flat, just 0,30 seconds outside of Tycoon Alley’s Class Record which has stood for more than three years.
Baldwin has targeted the Lightning Stakes as the gelding’s next assignment.
“We can always go there. We can always come back again,” mused Baldwin.
Burdekin Blues will now be spelled for a month before heading down south for that new challenge.
Whereas Burdekin Blues has been steadily building momentum, Sommersea Drive, Cahill’s second winner for the afternoon, has suddenly sprung to life. His latest triumph was his third successive victory.
Trainer Trevor Miller gives his view of Sommersea Drive’s rise to prominence.
“He’s always shown some ability so it is no surprise to me that he is starting to produce results,” explained Miller.
“I suppose you could say he was a bit of a slow learner,” continued Miller, “but ever since the Sunshine Coast Guineas (in which he finished fourth) his rate of progress has improved.
"He seems to be getting an idea of what racing is all about and he is going to get better than he is now,” stated Miller with outright confidence.
“He has been a busy horse. I think he has had maybe ten days off in the last twelve months, so he would be entitled to be going the other way and looking for a break. But instead he is thriving. So all of the signs are good” concluded Miller.
Monday, August 11, 2008
'OLD FIRM' STILL VERY MUCH IN BUSINESS
When trainer Alan Bailey announced he was downsizing his stable earlier this year, his rivals might have been forgiven for thinking they could look forward to having a bit more breathing space than they had previously enjoyed.
It was a false hope – as the facile win of Tears’N’Cheers at Eagle Farm showed on Saturday.
The statement was clear. The ‘old firm’ of Alan Bailey and jockey Glen Colless is still very much in business.
Bailey reduced the number of horses in his care from a steady number of ‘around fifty’ to a more manageable number of thirty. The reduction was planned and orchestrated to a prescribed timetable and the re-organisation was completed in June after which Bailey went on holiday.
He has now returned fresh from a rest and ready for the new challenge.
“It (the downsizing) wasn’t an easy process,” admitted Bailey.
“I actually wanted to cut more, but it got to the stage where the people became more important than the horses,” explained Bailey. “Many of my owners ... you know, we go way back. They’ve been very good to me and the loyalty factor comes into play so that’s why I kept more horses than I wanted.
“I took no pleasure in those that I did cut,” continued Bailey. “When I originally sent letters out to everybody saying what I was going to do, most of them said ‘that can’t be right’. They basically couldn’t believe it.
“You see I have a good relationship with all of my owners. It’s either works that way or I don’t have them.
“So it has been a difficult process but, once everybody knew it was happening, they seemed to understand. Things went pretty smoothly and I’m comfortable with the ways things stand now.
“I still go to the gallops and watch races with all my old friends, so in some respects little changed.”
... and that includes still having Glen Colless as the number one call.
“Absolutely,” confirmed Bailey. “Not only with myself, but also with all of the owners.”
Tears’N’Cheers was the latest addition to a long line of winners chalked up by the Bailey-Colless combination.
“He’s been going well,” said Bailey. “He should have won at the Sunshine Coast. He was drawn wide and then another horse took him out on the bend.
“Then last time he got into trouble all by himself,”continued Bailey.
“Glen was not happy with having the blinkers on. I’ve been away on holiday for a month and I forgot to take the blinkers off ... which Glen said may have been just as well because it helped give him a good shot today.
“We’ll head for the Golden Rose in three weeks time,” confirmed Bailey. “He’ll get 56kg at set weights. You have to take your chance in a $1 million race.
“If nothing else the travelling will add to his experience and help him mature,”concluded Bailey.
It was a false hope – as the facile win of Tears’N’Cheers at Eagle Farm showed on Saturday.
The statement was clear. The ‘old firm’ of Alan Bailey and jockey Glen Colless is still very much in business.
Bailey reduced the number of horses in his care from a steady number of ‘around fifty’ to a more manageable number of thirty. The reduction was planned and orchestrated to a prescribed timetable and the re-organisation was completed in June after which Bailey went on holiday.
He has now returned fresh from a rest and ready for the new challenge.
“It (the downsizing) wasn’t an easy process,” admitted Bailey.
“I actually wanted to cut more, but it got to the stage where the people became more important than the horses,” explained Bailey. “Many of my owners ... you know, we go way back. They’ve been very good to me and the loyalty factor comes into play so that’s why I kept more horses than I wanted.
“I took no pleasure in those that I did cut,” continued Bailey. “When I originally sent letters out to everybody saying what I was going to do, most of them said ‘that can’t be right’. They basically couldn’t believe it.
“You see I have a good relationship with all of my owners. It’s either works that way or I don’t have them.
“So it has been a difficult process but, once everybody knew it was happening, they seemed to understand. Things went pretty smoothly and I’m comfortable with the ways things stand now.
“I still go to the gallops and watch races with all my old friends, so in some respects little changed.”
... and that includes still having Glen Colless as the number one call.
“Absolutely,” confirmed Bailey. “Not only with myself, but also with all of the owners.”
Tears’N’Cheers was the latest addition to a long line of winners chalked up by the Bailey-Colless combination.
“He’s been going well,” said Bailey. “He should have won at the Sunshine Coast. He was drawn wide and then another horse took him out on the bend.
“Then last time he got into trouble all by himself,”continued Bailey.
“Glen was not happy with having the blinkers on. I’ve been away on holiday for a month and I forgot to take the blinkers off ... which Glen said may have been just as well because it helped give him a good shot today.
“We’ll head for the Golden Rose in three weeks time,” confirmed Bailey. “He’ll get 56kg at set weights. You have to take your chance in a $1 million race.
“If nothing else the travelling will add to his experience and help him mature,”concluded Bailey.
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