HORSERACING
By TOM HAYES
SALE Turf Club hosted a nine-race meet last Thursday (July 4), which returned some success from a local perspective.
The track downgraded three times on the day, beginning at a Soft 6. After two races they were running on a Soft 7, and following one more race it was deemed a Heavy 8 track. From the final three races of the day, the track downgraded once more to a Heavy 9 – the second heaviest category track.
TWO Moe-trained horses were amongst it in the Race 8 Carlton Draught Handicap, ran over 1415 metres.
Leading from the front in the early stages was Delightful Journey for Moe’s Christine Sexton, while in close quarters was Margie’s Boy for Moe’s Peter Gelagotis.
As they rounded the final turn onto the straight, Margie’s Boy looked to make a move on the outside of Delightful Journey, overtaking and taking the lead of the race.
With the distance that the two had created, Delightful Journey only had their second place finish threatened right at the end but did enough to claim runner-up.
Margie’s Boy took the win by two lengths, claiming back-to-back wins, and his fourth career victory. After winning on debut, Margie’s Boy has gone on to win three more races from just 13 starts, and at just the age of five-years-old, he has plenty of racing ahead of him.
Also in the mix was I’m Dynamite for Sale’s Susie Wells. Coming from further back in the field, I’m Dynamite rose from seventh to fifth at the race’s end.
THE Race above was Gelagotis’ second win of the day, after he claimed his first in the Race 4 Victory Treadmills Maiden Plate (1732m) with Mark Of Zorro.
It was Epsom Road who led the field up until around the 600m mark, with Mark Of Zorro taking the lead and looking destined for the line.
His only challengers appeared to be High Society Girl (who finished 2nd) and Romans Luck (3rd), who dropped off significantly earlier.
As he charged down the straight, it looked more and more confident that he would take the line first, doing so a length and a quarter ahead of High Society Girl.
From his sixth start, Mark Of Zorro had his first win, after only previously placing once before back in May last year.
Sale’s Cliff Murray had Rough Edges finished fourth, climbing miraculously from the rear of the pack, however finishing over six lengths from the lead.
Also featuring was No Savings for Sexton (8th), Lonestar Charlie for Murray (10th), and Moonlight Image for Wells (13th).
DESPITE finishing within a length and a half from the lead, Juice Box for Sale’s Rebecca Kelly finished third in the Race 7 Gippsland Funeral Services Handicap (1106m).
Essentially a sprint, the firm favourite, Mansiere, was always going to be hard to beat, proving so with a stunning overlap, coming from seventh to win by over a length.
Juice Box was a firm pace setter throughout the race, however his may have hindered her chances at a fast finish, as she was passed by Mansiere and Walter Spur (2nd) on the straight.
She did enough however to confirm a place finish, in third, her best finish since her last win in May this year, following three consecutive sixth-place finishes.
Lord Paramount for Bundalaguah’s Sharon Trolove was a pace setter at the beginning of the race, finding the front at the 400m mark. Priced at $101, it was always destined to fall eventually, finishing eighth of 13 runners.
THE final impressive finish of the day came from Nic Says No from Sale’s Troy Kilgower in the Race 2 Sale Cup 2024 On Sale Now Maiden Plate (1106m).
Coming from as far back as eighth at the 800m mark, and sixth at the 400m mark, Nic Says No finished fourth, four lengths behind the winner, Rockabottle.
Rockabottle appeared unphased as they charged to the line, leading up the front with Major Lady (who finished 13th).
Also finishing the race from a local standpoint was Last Say for Sale’s Heather Stephens (7th), and Gracious Diva for Wells (8th).
IN the next race, the Race 3 Viatek Maiden Plate (1415m), Renovation Show cruised to the finish line after leading the entire race.
The next best finisher, Ze Bee Nine, finished three lengths shy of the winner.
Locals Dun Dozen for Sexton finished eighth, and Discobay for Sale’s Adam Hanley finished 13th – almost 14 lengths from the lead.
THE final race of the day, the Race 9 Ladbroke It! Handicap (1415m) had some admirable local showings considering the conditions.
The race was clearly won by the favourite, Rackemann, who rose from three or four back to stream through clear on the inside to win by nearly three lengths.
In the chasing pack was London Bell for Sale’s Damien Walkley, who eventually finished seventh, yet just over five lengths from the lead.
Chasing the chasing pack was Rosabeel for Sale’s Angela Bence, who cruised home finishing second-last.
RACE 5’s Ladbroke Racing Club Handicap (1732m) was not so nice to the local runner.
IN what was a very close finish between the two frontrunners of the race, the $17 outsider, That’swhatshesaid climbed victorious over $2.10 favourite Bossa Nova Lad.
However, at the other end of the field was Gimme A Buzz, now trained by Boolarra’s Tim Hughes.
The five-year-old gelding finished 13th, nearly 28 lengths from the lead. But did not come last, with Hesitate, who might’ve raced accordingly to its name, coming last – over 31 lengths from the winner.
TWO races throughout the day displayed no local talent whatsoever.
Race 1’s Become A Member Today Maiden Plate (1106m) was won by Jenni Multabella, who was named as the favourite.
It was the two-year-old filly’s debut race, winning on the outside of race leader Polyglot.
Finally, Race 6’s Turnbull Toyota Handicap (2226m) came down to the wire.
Funnily enough, the top five horses were trained by just two people, with Ballarat’s Patrick Payne training the first two, The Devil In Her (1st) and A Votre Sante (2nd), and Cranbourne’s Andrea Leek training the horses in third and fourth – Brilliant Venture and Havisham.
Fifth-placed Privileged Son, also trained by Payne finished just over three lengths from the lead, despite starting the race as the favourite.
Also noticed was a Denis Pagan trained horse, Turn It Up Tommy, who finished eighth.
Pagan was widely known as an AFL premiership coach with North Melbourne, before crossing to Carlton to finish his coaching career.
He became the first Australian sporting figure to win an AFL premiership as coach, and train a group 1 winner, when Johnny Get Angry won the 2020 Victorian Derby.
