by Michael Howard
Reputation would suggest a party in Miami, Florida, is a not an uncommon occurrence and the champagne corks could well be popping again in ‘The Magic City’ come May 6.
Miami residents Gordon Banks and Marc Hanover’s investment in Victorian trots looks set to pay significant dividends this Australian Pacing Gold series, with the pair owning Nicole Molander’s high-flying fillies.
Passions Delight and Saphirique were both heat winners in the April 13 two-year-old fillies first series hit-out at Tabcorp Park Melton, form they will hope to extend in Friday night’s semi-finals.
“It’s a really good series and something all trainers hope to get one going early enough to contest,” Molander said. “It’s a bit nerve-wracking to hold them together for such a long time from the heats to the semi-finals and finals, but they are both doing really well, so that makes life a bit easier.”
Bred by Norwood’s Trevor and Christine Scadden, Saphirique was snapped up by Mr Banks and Mr Hanover at the 2016 APG sales, with the Bettors Delight out of Sapphire Lil having cost $62,000 and already returned $10,490 in stakes from her three starts.
The owners also bred Passions Delight, also a Bettors Delight but out of Passions Promise, a winner of 12 of her 26 starts and more than $270,000 in stakes.
It is talent that is translating on the track much to Molander’s relief, with Passions Delight having won three of her five starts and placed in the other two.
“They both seemed like nice fillies leading into racing,” she said. “You always get a bit nervous, because you don’t know how that is going to measure up on race day, and having two going nicely is nerve wracking as well because you don’t get two good ones. I was just hoping our expectations would hold up.”
And they have, although not always as expected.
“At home I always thought that Passions Delight had more speed and would probably do better coming off other horses backs, and Saphirique the opposite – that she was tougher.
“But the way they have been racing it has almost been the opposite, in particular Passions Delight showed real toughness when she held out Amelias Courage and kicked away.”
The story continues to unfold at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night.
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