By Tayler Strong
Cullen Who should provide horseman Ken Barron with compensation in the fifth heat of the invited brother drivers series at Oamaru on Saturday.
Barron and Leo O’Reilly have to sit out the heat as only 10 horses accepted, but Barron is the co-trainer with brother Tony of top prospect Cullen Who. They also have Gotta Del in the race. Gotta Del is not the least of chances.
Nathan Williamson has drawn Cullen Who, who heralded an early win when second to Benicio at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Cullen Who was responsible for the pace that resulted in Benicio running the 1950m (mobile) in a swift 1.54.3 mile rate.
Barron, who teams with his brother Clark for the drivers series at Oamaru, is aboard The Persuader in the sixth and final heat. The Persuader, trained at Oamaru by Eion Latimer, has won on grass at Motukarara. Clark is driving the Barron-trained Compliant in the same race.
The fourth heat marks the return to racing of Sam Galleon, winner of three of his four starts this season. Trainer Phil Williamson gave Sam Galleon a spell after his last start win at Winton on September 4 as he felt he had advanced rapidly through the grades. Sam Galleon had experience on grass when based at Cromwell in January. He will be driven by Gerard O’Reilly. Williamson also has Bobbins (Nathan Williamson) in the same heat and he has been caring for Soney Beatt (Jay Abernethy).
A 20m handicap should not trouble Alta Orlando in race 6. He won decisively over 2600m from 10m at Washdyke last time out, his second start since joining the Dunn stable at Woodend Beach and his second after two years away from racing. He was a class act at two and three with wins in the Welcome Stakes, Yearling Sales Open and two heats of the Sires’ Stakes from the stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen. He has won five of his 10 starts.
Delightful Dash, a proven performer on grass, ran second to Alta Orlando at Washdyke.
Boomer Bailey is back on his favourite hunting ground.
Boomer Bailey has gained four of his seven wins at Oamaru, divided between the grass and all-weather tracks. He won on both surfaces at Oamaru last season and on the grass at this meeting two years ago. The 6yr-old has not won since May but he has been placed in six of his last seven starts. He ran third on grass to Buster Brady and Franco Texas at Orari last Saturday for owner-trainer Graeme Telfer.
Graduate Under Fire, another grass track specialist, is resuming. He has won his races from the Dunn stable but his Hilderthorpe owner (near Oamaru) Ray Beale has brought him to hand for this race.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
