In a warm-up for the following night’s success in a Breeders Challenge Blue Final at Tabcorp Park, Bernie Hewitt trained a double at last Friday’s Bathurst meeting, including Alphitonia in the evening’s feature race, the HBNSW Go Girlfriend Series heat.
Hewitt took advantage of Chris Geary’s claim to start the C4-class mare in the C0-C3 series, and the accomplished junior driver played his part perfectly, working forward gradually to the death seat, then working the leader-and eventual third placegetter- Verdot, before holding off favourite Keilor Kimberly, which used the sprint lane. The sprint trip was put by in a 1:57.3 mile rate, very commendable given the bitterly cold conditions and a track which had copped more than its fair share of rain in the lead-up.
Bathurst HRC life-member Wayne Loader, who has previously organized a number of successful syndicates for his beloved Centennials Cricket Club, races the Flightpath daughter on his “Pat Malone” and the win might have helped erase some of his disappointment at the surrender of the Aussies in the Ashes first test over in England.
Hewitt’s winner in the C0-C1 opening event, Allnight Kiss ($7.70), established the pattern for her stablemate later on, by working around the field to a position outside the leader, and fighting on strongly, rating 1;58.0 over the sprint distance. Motu Blazing Spirit NZ and leader Hearts N Flowers NZ filled the minors.
“She’s fairly one-paced, but very tough, and shows plenty of determination at the finish, “ was Hewitt’s appraisal of the Modern Art daughter.
Midnight Prowler NZ ($3.70) was successful in an eventful C1, second race, giving Steve Turnbull win number 42 at his home track this season, just one behind daughter Amanda in the Acropole Restaurant-sponsored drivers’ premiership. Amanda held a big lead until recently, and it will be interesting to see if she can retain the title she’s held for the last few seasons.
“I thought my horse was going to collar the leader (Shes So Foxy) in the straight, but when that horse broke suddenly, my bloke pricked his ears and started looking around everywhere. I thought, don’t you start doing that!”
Turnbull was able to gather him up, and held a clear margin at the line from Annika Magic and Bohemian Art, which had raced near the lead.
Mitchell Turnbull was set to head to Victoria just a few days after this meeting, to join sister Amanda and her partner Nathan Jack at their Shepparton base, for the remainder of this season.
“We’ve cut our stable numbers down as we get further into winter,” Stave explained.
“With many of the Victorian juniors having out-driven their claims, there’s an opportunity for Mitchell over the next couple of months and he’s keen to try it out.”
Kevin Pizzuto and his stable driver Jack Trainor didn’t have much joy in that race won by Midnight Prowler, with their runner Justa Dale NZ, first-up in this country, baulking as the arm was released and losing almost 150 metres before settling into a pace. His effort to catch the field and loom on the turn for home (to eventually finish fourth), was hard to miss.
Their night improved markedly after that, with wins to Jolly Dryden NZ in race three, the fast-class sprint, and Matty Groves, in the 3C0-3C1 fifth. Jolly Dryden ($5.50) was taken straight to the front by Trainor, and had enough in reserve to hold off trailer Intransit, which used the sprint lane, and Ardghal, which followed it through. Sharp final quarters of 28.9 and 28.1 set up the 1:56.9 mile rate for the winner.
Matty Groves ($1.20 favourite) rated 1:57.1 in leading throughout, to record his first win in this country, with a 10 metres margin back to The Space Invader and Provincial. Trainor admitted that the stable was disappointed with the bad luck in the earlier race, but was very pleased by the efforts of the other two, acknowledging that “you can’t expect to always have nights like the Rising Star night at Bathurst, you just need to get winners every so often to keep things going well.”
Matty Groves’ previous win had been at the South Island track of Washdyke, and Trainor, who’s driven there, says “I much prefer driving up here at Bathurst.”
With a treble of Rising Star heats, and a double on his next visit, it’s not hard to understand that particular comment!
Other winners at the meeting were:
Hallnightparty ($1.30 favourite, Andrew Hall/ Mat Rue), able to do what several others couldn’t quite manage all night, win from the sprint lane – and quite decisively at that – in a 3C0 sprint, his second win in just three starts for the Hall family connections, who were planning a post-race celebration;
Take Command ($2.50 favourite, John Vautin), in a 2260 metres C0, where despite slow sectionals which gave those close to the lead every chance, he accounted for them very easily, using the high speed commonly found in this fine N.Z. family (of former juvenile champ Stroma);
Grinear Girl ($1.20 favourite, David/Scott Hewitt), in the last race, a C0 sprint, leading throughout for successive wins at the track, her driver suggesting that this was a huge drop in class from the Group 1 Menangle final she’d contested three starts previously – which explains the skinny odds.
Bathurst’s winter season continues this Friday night.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing