For anyone who’d been out of the country and lost track of time, last Wednesday’s Bathurst meeting, with four heats of the Graeme Board & Co Sale Graduate Race, sent out a very clear reminder.
The Alabar Gold Crown Carnival, the best couple of weeks in harness racing for those who love juvenile racing and having a good time, is upon us again, set to commence on Wednesday, March 16.
And if the line-ups and the performances in Wednesday’s Graduate heats – for horses purchased at last year’s Gold Crown Yearling Sale, and sustained for the race – are anything to go by, this year’s carnival will be as good as ever.
Dennis Picker purchased three yearlings at Bathurst last year, and lived up to his name by taking out two of the heats, one for either sex, with the others falling to Hunter visitor Aaron Goadsby and David Harris from Parkes.
Fleur De Neige ($4.30, Jason Turnbull/ Goadsby ) won the first fillies heat, sitting in the one-one and running on well to score narrowly from Morgnmindy and The Secret Mouse, rating 1:59.5 for the 1730 metres, with a last half in 58.1 seconds.
A half-sister to a Queensland Triad winner in Tipsy Tollgater, by Million Dollar Cam, she was a $5,000 buy last year, and her connections are already well ahead, with this week’s $18,200 final in prospect.
Fastestgirlintown ($2.50 favourite ) took out the second heat, with Dennis Picker controlling the speed from the death seat, lifting the tempo in a 57.6 seconds last half, for a 2:00.1 mile rate. Tatibye trailed the lead and got clear for second, and Rousey ran on impressively for third.
The winner, a Sportswriter half-sister to a $100K winner in Strong Sapphire, fetched $13,000 at the sale, and had won on debut in a heat of the HBNSW Princess Series at Wagga.
Outtacrossgar ($2.70 favourite, David Harris Jr ) made it a double for the progeny of Sportswriter, when he took an inside run to burst clear in the first colts/geldings heat, run at a brisk 1:57.5 rate, with a 56.8 final half. The placing so were filled by Megs Monaro, which raced three back on the inner, and leader Lockton Luck.
There’s a strong Gold Crown connection here, the $16,500 sales buy being from a half-sister to the 2005 Gold Tiara winner Boa Vista Lombo.
He’s now two-from -two at the track, but for the Harris family it’s been a tough time, with David Harris Sr passing away just the morning after this win, after a long battle with illness.
The horse named for their father’s Irish village will be a strong sentimental favourite when he returns to the track for the Gold Crown heats on Saturday, 19th March.
Dennis Picker’s driving double was completed in the second colts/geldings heat, with Machgower ($1.80 favourite ) scoring comfortably from leader I’m Major Harry and death-seater Sam’s Express, quickening home in 58.3 seconds, off a slow first half. The overall mile rate of 2:01 was quite moderate, but the placegetters were all on debut and will improve off that.
Machgower, a Mach Three from Canola Cup winner Aldebaran, which eventually took a 1:55 and $150K record, brought the top price of $33,000 at last year’s sale. His three-quarter brother, by Auckland Reactor, should attract plenty of attention at this year’s sale on Sunday, 20th March.
Incredibly, there was a fifth 2YO race last Wednesday, taken out by Conviction ($4.50 ), which delivered a dream start in harness racing for the Sloane family, who’ve enjoyed plenty of success in the galloping code with the classy Navy Seal.
Conviction ( a son of For A Reason, bought from last year’s sale but not aimed at the sales race ), was highly impressive in leading throughout and easily holding off the short-priced favourite San Domino, rating 1:56.6 and dashing home in 55.9 seconds.
He was the second leg of a training/driving double for Steve Turnbull, whose earlier winner was The Space Invader ($4.50 ), which produced his customary determined finish to win the C1-C3 Western Districts Championships Final.
Regular Bathurst visitors Kerryann Turner and Robbie Morris combined for a double with Rainbow Flash in the HBNSW 3YO Fillies Princess Series heat, and with close-relation Si Nardore in C0 grade, while Dennis Picker achieved a training treble, courtesy of Hard To Hear ( Ellen Rixon ) in a 2260 metres C3-C4 race earlier in the night.
When the curtain fell on last year’s Gold Crown carnival, the first at the new Bathurst complex, many faced the prospect of a long, tedious year before they could enjoy it once more.
It’s just a few sleeps now!
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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