By Tayler Strong
Matt Brinsdon could take a bow for his conditioning skills after Captain Dolmio won the Selwyn Paul Memorial Tuapeka Cup at Forbury Park on Sunday although it was the slowest edition of the race for 21 years.
The conditioning element was that Captain Dolmio won easily in his first race for five months.
Brinsdon was training Captain Dolmio in person at Gore until a fortnight ago when he was injured in a training mishap. He then sent the gelding to John Dunn at Woodend Beach.
Brinsdon had give Captain Dolmio three workouts and Dunn gave him another .
“A horse bolted on me and I ended up in a ditch with two broken ribs so John took over. I felt he(Captain Dolmio) was ready as he had run his last half (800m) in 54.5 in the Winton workout,’’ said Brinsdon, who races Captain Dolmio with five other persons.
“It worked out well getting it easy in front today.”
Captain Dolmio, driven by Dunn, set a leisurely pace and dashed clear in the closing stages after sprinting his last 800m in 55.8 and closing 400 in 26.4. He won by three and three quarter lengths in an overall time of 4.13, the slowest since Nero’s Charger won in 4.13.1 in 1995.
Captain Dolmio returned to Woodend Beach after his win.
It had been the plan for Captain Dolmio to transfer to the Dunn stable after the Tuapeka Cup. He is now assessed at C4 and there is a race to suit him at Addington on New Zealand Cup day (November 8). The Grinfromeartoear gelding proved himself at Addington in April when he won over 2600m (mobile) in a swift 3.07.7.
The trainers of Golden Gate and The Big Boss are giving consideration to racing at the Cup meeting after wins on Sunday.
Golden Gate, owned and trained at Gore by John Ryan, overcame a 40m handicap to win the main trot over 3200m in 4.12. She has been withdrawn from the Dominion Handicap but there are other races for the 9yr-old mare who is assessed at C7.
The Big Boss, trained at Invercargill by Ray Faithful, took his record to three wins from five starts when he won his first race since May. He sprinted his last 800m in 56 after dawdling in front.
“I will give him a couple of days off and see how he is and look at the programmes for the Cup meeting. The style of racing at Addington should suit him,’’ said Faithful of the giant gelding.
“He takes a 72 inch hopple when the normal is about 58 and I have to get them specially made.”
Ken Scott, of Mataura who races The Big Boss with “Noddy” and Jane Orr, is keen to go to Addington. His last representative at a Cup meeting was Pumped Up in 2007.
The 3-year-old filly Pembrook Ideal backed up from winning her first start on Thursday when she led throughout 1700m (mobile) in a 1.56.7 mile rate, the last 800m in 56.9. She is above average.
Another 3-year-old filly, Susies Desire won by three and a half lengths over 2700m (mobile) after leading for the last 1600m. She had finished second to Pembrook Ideal three days earlier. Susies Desire is trained by Graeme Anderson for Stephen Pulley, of Dunedin. Pulley was gifted the filly by a friend, John Crosbie, of Cheviot. Mr Crosbie, who has other standardbred interests, bought Susies Desire (by Real Desire) in embryo with her dam, Susie Darlin for $600 at an Auckland sale in 2013.
Playboy’s Brother gave his Oamaru owner-trainer-breeder Colin McKay a change of fortunes in 24 hours with his win from a 30m handicap in a C0-1 trot. Illustrious Queen, a half sister to Playboy’s Brother, died the previous evening from colic, leaving McKay without a broodmare from the family.
“Last night I was not going to carry on with horses,” said McKay. Illustrious Queen was in work aiming at grass track races. She won at Waikouaiti in February last year. Playboy’s Brother and Illustrious Queen are out of Illustrious Tricks, who won four races for McKay. He converted the Cam’s Trickster mare from pacing to trotting after being gifted her. She also left him the winners Final Secret and Gorilla Playboy.
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