Sunday, September 9, 2007

SA Harness Highlights - 10 September 2007

Smith’s First Win For Boss

Young Kapunda reinsman Matthew smith recorded his first win for the Toby Ryan stable on Saturday night at Globe Derby Park, partnering Jet Laag mare Nancy Anne to a maiden victory.

Raced by Arrowcrest Standardbreds and Latengo Pty Ltd, the same partnership as stablemate and Vicbred winner Elysees Crest, Nancy Anne joined the Toby Ryan team in July after racing with Steven O’Donoghue in Victoria.

Matthew Smith has been spending his weekdays working with Ryan at his Roseworthy stables and picked up the drive much to his own surprise.

“It wasn’t until I looked at the fields that I saw Toby had put me on,” Smith said.

“I have been driving her a fair bit in work. She has been working with Capreolate and Toby has been driving her while I have been working with Nancy Anne,” he added.

The four-year-old mare had not been to the races since a Globe Derby race in early July, and had deliberately been kept fresh for Saturday nights engagement.

“In Victoria she had been running her best races at the trials, so this time in we decided it might be better not to trial her, just work her at home and take her to the races as fresh as possible,” Smith said.

Despite being sent out a $5.80 second elect, Nancy Anne looked the winner from the moment Smith steered her into a three-wide trail 1000-metres from home. Driving patiently, Smith kept the mare undercover until the home turn where she motored past the leaders to win by eight metres.

Although the win may be the breakthrough that kick-starts more success, it is likely Nancy Anne will only race until the end of the month before she is sent to the breeding barn where she will be served by Life Sign.

 

Triumphant Return To Form

Mollys Triumph burst back onto the winners list on Saturday night, registering an impressive, all-the-way eight-metre victory and putting a few ordinary performances behind her.

The seven-year-old mare was forced from the track in March following a quarter crack complaint that worsened during a close second placing in Country Graduation Final, and her three starts back had produced a best result of fifth.

Angaston trainer Gary Coombes partly blamed himself for her the poor form, but also recognised a minor but important gear change put her mind back on the job.

“She wasn’t quite fit enough before as I was working her with (then three-year-old) Theocracy and I was probably keeping her back to him, which wasn’t the best thing in the long run,” Coombes said.

“She slipped a crupper a few starts back so we put a tail tie on her and she just wouldn’t go.”

The tail tie came off prior to last Saturday nights race and that, along with a draw that allowed her to lead, were the keys to a change in attitude. A mid week hitout also showed Coombes she might be back in form.

“She is definitely better in front but I also think she is getting better with age,” Coombes said, “We went to Kapunda last week where I do a couple of miles pace work then a rest, and then a mile. She came home in 58 so I told Scotty she would zip home for him.”

While the recent break due to the equine influenza shut down may have disrupted the training regime of many horses around the state, and certainly forced an change in routine for Mollys Triumph, Coombes admitted it may have been a blessing.

“(The Equine Influenza) has impacted a little bit. I have been lunging her and driving her around a two acre paddock at home, and I probably lost a little bit with her. But she does race well fresh and she should hold that (form) for a little while now.”

Just like fellow mare Nancy Anne who also won on Saturday nights Globe Derby program, Mollys Triumph has a future in the breeding barn

“I would like to get one foal from her and then see what happens. She is a Vanston Hanover mare and I have already had an approach from Queensland as they have done all right up there,” Coombes said.

But while she is racing in good heart and showing the zip she displayed on the weekend, Gary Coombes will keep sending her to the racetrack.

 

Super Six Kicks Starts Season for Cav

Fresh from a great season in which he finished second on the Metropolitan Drivers Premiership and third on the State table, Paul Cavallaro dominated the opening Saturday night Metropolitan meeting of the 2007-2008 season with four winners, on top of a double at Friday night’s Globe Derby meeting.

In total, after the first three meetings of this current racing term, Cavallaro had 11 drives and finished no further back than fourth with six winners, four thirds and a fourth.

With the first ‘full strength’ race meeting of the season on Friday night, the Golden Grove based reinsman started with a winner courtesy of the Joe Puccini-prepared Per Sempre in race one, then kicked home Im Slippery When Wet later in the night for his father Neil.

The win by Im Slippery When Wet was the four-year-old mare’s first victory at her 47th racetrack appearance and came on the back of two second placings at her most recent starts.

Cavallaro doubled his tally on Saturday night with a treble for his father-in-law Peter Sergi and added a further win with Smoke On The Water who he trains himself.

In a similar fashion to the previous nights program, Cavallaro kicked off the night with a win in the opening race, leading all the way aboard Johnny Doika for an easy eight metre victory.

Smoke On The Water brought up an early double in race two before another all the way win later in the night with giant pacer Conte De Cristo earned Cavallaro a treble. Conte De Cristo, in just his second race start since the Mildura Cup Final in April, cruised around the Globe Derby circuit with a pedestrian 65.4 second first half before scorching home in 56.6.

A third successive win by Assert brought up a second career quartet for Cavallaro, with his other foursome courtesy of Money Go Round, Kooross, Chatham Chatter and My Estate also at Globe Derby Park in June 1997.

In the ten years between the two quartets, Cavallaro has also driven 12 trebles to establish himself as one of the top drivers in the state.

 

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Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

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