By Adam Hamilton
ULTIMATE Machete’s powerhouse NZ free-for-all looks to have given him stranglehold on the major four-year-old races during the Perth Inter Dominion Carnival.
But there are two locals who are showing enough to say they will make the emerging Purdon/Rasmussen superstar really earn the prize.
Former Kiwi entire Rocknroll Lincoln, now in the Justin Prentice barn, made it two wins (and a close second) from just three WA runs when he led throughout in slick times to win the Golden Nugget prelude at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
The effort of Gary Hall Sr’s Herrick Roosevelt to work early, sit parked and run a close second in a 1min55.8sec mile rate and 55.2sec last half was outstanding.
Another eye-catching was former Victorian Wrappers Delight, who had no luck in third spot for new trainer Ross Olivieri.
Throw in classy former Kiwi and now Victorian-based Motu Meteor and at least there will be some competition for Ultimate Machete in the three four-year-old features, the first of them this Friday night.
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MOST thought Tim Butt would take advantage of Lennytheshark’s time in Perth and grab what he can in Victoria with My Field Marshal.
Instead, Butt is thinking longer term and has given his stable star a freshen-up.
“He’s having a couple of weeks out and will be back for the sprint at Ballarat on Boxing night,” Butt said.
“Perth wasn’t going to suit him, so we decided to keep him hear and target the big races in the New Year.
“I think he’s shown in a couple of his recent runs he can really match it with Lenny, but we haven’t had any luck in the barrier draws.”
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THE problem child has found winning form again just at the right time.
Gifted but headstrong and enigmatic WA pacer Run Oneover broke a long run of outs and looked quite good doing in in a free-for-all at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Gary Hall Jr worked him to the front and let him roll over the 1730m sprint trip and Run Oneover scored quite well in a 1min54.1sec mile rate.
It’s worth noting though he beat the B and C-graders and would need to lift again to be a serious player like he was during last year’s Inter Dominion heats.
Remember it was Run Oneover who led, took charge and then choked-down in the back straight of last year’s Inter Dominion final.
Another win of note at the Gloucester Park meeting came from exciting three-year-old filly Cott Beach, who won by 30m in a 1min57.1sec mile rate for 2130m.
It was the daughter of Advance Attack’s eighth win from just 12 starts.
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THERE isn’t much young Queensland trainer-driver Brittany Graham can’t do.
Graham, daughter of decorated trainer-driver Darrel, has carved out a successful training and driving career in her own right.
She added another credit when she won the Seymour Group Lady Drivers Invitation Series at Albion Park last Saturday night.
Graham beat megastar Kerryn Manning in a close finish with SA’s Danielle Hill in third spot. The series included other big names like Amanda Turnbull, Kate Gath and Trista Dixon.
In recent times, Graham has also been making waves by dabbling in some media work for Sky Racing.
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HOW can you not be in awe of the story around the pacer Love Ina Chevy.
Remember back to January, last year and he’s the horse Lance Justice, his staff and friends cared for around the clock, day-after-day just to save him after a suspected snake bite.
It was half a miracle he survived because he was so sick. The fact he’s made it back to races was incredible, let alone the success the six-year-old has enjoyed.
Love Ina Chevy posted his seventh and by far most important win – albeit in a dead-heat – at Melton last Friday night.
The gelding surged along the sprint lane as the $36 outsider of the field to split the prize with leader, It Is Billy, in the Markovina free-for-all.
It was a race where Victorian buzz pacer Tee Cee Bee Macray – third to Lennytheshark and My Field Marshal in the Yarra Valley Cup at his previous run – was expected to dominate, but instead flopped back in second-last spot at $1.40.
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FRESH back from enjoying NZ Cup Week, top young driver Todd McCarthy snared the feature race at Menangle last Saturday night.
McCarthy partnered Tiger Tara to a monster third in the NZ Cup then second to Ultimate Machete in last Friday’s NZ FFA.
Back home, he teamed with trainer Mark Callaghan and veteran mare Cullinary Delight to win the Group 3 Sue Kelly Ladyship Stakes in a 1min51.4sec mile.
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IT might have been a ho-hum Cranbourne meeting, but debutante War Dan’s win provided a real highlight.
The Amanda Turnbull-trained gelding carried a buzz into the race being a brother to former Victoria Cup winner Caribbean Blaster and turning heads in some recent trials.
And he didn’t disappoint.
Sent out a $1.20 favourite, driver Nathan Jack took War Dan to the lead, but he copped plenty of pressure in front and still won as he liked in a 1min58.6sec mile rate for 2080m.
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