13 October 2021
Great Banter
You may recall the Michael Stanley trained Bar Room Banta got the NSW Breeders Challenge Series off to a scorching start at Leeton last month with a sizzling performance under the steering of Blake Jones. Well he was at headquarters on Tuesday ahead of the looming semi-finals and he showed the Menangle track is certainly to his liking. With Luke McCarthy back in the sulky for the first time since last year’s win in the two-year-old Colts and Geldings final, the duo picked up exactly where they left off with a scorching 1:52.2 mile rate in a sign back-to-back Breeders Challenge titles might just be on the menu in 2021.
WATCH BAR ROOM BANTA WIN AT MENANGLE
Three-Year-Olds Put On A Show
The three-year-olds were the headline act on the Tuesday program and they certainly didn’t disappoint. We saw Hy Voltage and Captain Crusader progress into the semi-finals of the colts and geldings division and Anntonia deliver on her promise among the fillies. It was a day of favourites earning qualification but Michael Doltoff’s Bettor Be Kept was given an almighty fright on the wining post by a fast-finishing Glamour Fox for Rickie Alchin.
WTACH BETTOR BE KEPT WIN AT MENANGLE
Jacks Or Better
It was all about Jack at Menangle on Saturday night. Driver Jack Callaghan dominated the program landing four winners with B K Swy, Far Out Bro, The Croupier (Group 3 Club Menangle Country Club Final) and Aldebaran Revani.
WATCH THE CROUPIER WIN AT MENANGLE
Six On the Trot
On Aldebaran Revani, the American-bred mare made it six wins on the ‘trot’ when defeating Funky Monkey by a head, clocking a scintillating 1:52.7.
WATCH ALDEBARAN REVANI WIN AT MENANGLE
What A Delight
Billy Muscat had a night to remember at Menangle on Saturday driving his first winner since December 2018. Remarkably, the horse that won, Masons Delight, was Billy's last winner too! Masons Delight is named after Billy's grandson.
WATCH MASONS DELIGHT WIN AT MENANGLE
Rixon's Run Riot
Family sticks together. And the Rixon siblings certainly do. They drove a winner each at Penrith on Thursday night with Ellen getting the ball rolling in the first aboard Ed Mendes. Hannah quickly followed suit on Sight To See. Both those pacers are trained by their father Peter Rixon. Their brother Will obviously didn’t want to miss out on the winning action and won on the David Waite-trained Louisiana Freedom later on the card.
WATCH ED MENDES WIN AT PENRITH
Cousins Collect
Their cousins dominated at Penrith on Thursday night but it was Mitch and Amanda Turnbull’s turn to strut their stuff at Bathurst 24 hours later. Mitch saluted in the first two on the program and Amanda walked away from the meeting with three winners.
WATCH PRINCE PARKER WIN AT BATHURST
All That Jazz
There was a boilover in the first Breeders Challenge heat at Newcastle last Friday night when two-year-old filly Mystical Jazz caused an upset at starting odds of $12 for trainer/driver combination of Darren and Brad Elder. The same could not be said in the boys final when Saint Crusader lived up to his favouritism to claim his heat.
WATCH MYSTICAL JAZZ WIN AT NEWCASTLE
Tom's Treble
Driver Tom Ison was back at it at Newcastle on Friday night, dominating the program with three winners - The Black Prince, Deanne Panya and Mannho.
WATCH THE BLACK PRINCE WIN AT NEWCASTLE
Ticking Along
Hez All Ticker was just that when winning at Penrith on Thursday night. The pacer had a big margin on his rivals heading into the back straight, and while they made up , he held on to win and live up to his favouritism. The victory gave driver Lleyton Green a double as he won earlier on Court On The Edge for trainers Dean and Kerry McDowell.
WATCH HEZ ALL TICKER WIN AT PENRITH
A Fine Breed
Hobby horseman Ross Angrove has an eye for nice horses. A prominent breeder and owner based at Sutton in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Angrove has had run of success to remember over the past year with three foals that he bred and sold off as yearlings all making the semi-finals of the two-year-old NSW Breeders Challenge Series to be contested at Tabcorp Park Menangle this Saturday night. On the fillies side of the series he produced the Darren Elder trained Mystical Jazz who won her heat at Newcastle, while in the Colts and Geldings, Marvella, who was a heat winner at Wagga for Scott Hewitt. There was also My Ultimate Skeeta who is prepared by Jarrod Alchin. He can also claim to foaling down and raring the very talented I’m In Trouble for owner, breeder and trainer Mick Hawke. I’m In Trouble was an impressive heat winner at Wagga on Friday afternoon and goes into his semi this Saturday as second favourite behind the talented My Ultimate Byron.
WATCH IM IN TROUBLE WIN AT WAGGA
MD’s Trial File
This week we head to Tabcorp Park Menangle last Wednesday for the trial file and it is the first event on the day where we saw a field of quality individuals having what looked to be their final hits outs before upcoming campaigns. Won by up-and-coming star Line Up for Darren Binskin in a red hot time of 1:50.3, the six horse workout also included Miracle Mile runner-up Expensive Ego for team Cobbity Equine, top three-year-old filly Antonnia for Dave Thorn and the Jay Jay Farm pairing of gun four-year-old Zuess Bromac and open class pacer Pay Me Sam. All six looked very sharp and have great seasons in front of them.
Luckless Run Of The Week – Volando Denario/ Lleyton Green
One young man that is driving in red hot form in New South Wales at the present time is Lleyton Green. Employed by the powerhouse Allied Express Racing team of Kerry and Dean McDowell, Green has been afforded some great opportunities over the past 12 months and is taking them with both hands. Last Thursday night though at Penrith the combination of McDowell and Green would have left the track wondering “what if” after in-form mare Volando Denario was granted no luck in the fourth race on the card. Drawn in gate number seven, the daughter of US sire Panspacficflight was given an early shuffle up off the arm and found herself a long way off the leader Ideal Fantasy. As the race progressed there was little to no moves and Green found himself in a zip fastener heading towards the 400m mark. With tired horses surrounding the duo, Llyeton and Volando eventually found clear running on the home bend but it was all too late, having to settle for third but putting the flashing light on to say “Watch me next time out”.
WATCH OUR LUCKLESS RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Drive of the Week – Mat Rue/ Weona Miss Fortune
Growing up in the small town of Canowindra, Bathurst reinsman Mat Rue as young kid would have only dreamt of being the successful driver that he has become today. Coming from a racing family, Rue enjoyed early success in the bike when he teamed up with father Ken and bonny mare Miracle In Time. The trio won multiple races throughout the Western Districts and shot Mat’s name up into lights taking out the Junior Drivers Premiership at Parkes in his first season. The stable star also picked up Horse of the Year honours at the same track. Fast forward 15 years and you will see Mat has now driven well over 900 winners including a Miracle Mile success on Baby Bling and most recently a double last Wednesday evening at Bathurst. One leg of that was an absolute pearler when he guided Weona Miss Fortune to victory in a heat of the NSW Breeders Challenge for the two-year-old fillies. Drawn in gate two, Rue took the early option to steer back down to the pegs to save ground. From there the race was run at a fairly good tempo with leader Steph keen to get on with things. Entering the home straight for the last time, the small field started to string out somewhat, giving Mat and Weona Miss Fortune the chance to take inside runs. As they say the rest is history with the filly getting through along the sprint lane to grab the leaders and come down to score handsomely at double figure odds.
WATCH OUR DRIVE OF THE WEEK
Big Bets
BATHURST 6/10
BANG
$4,000 @ $1.25 on Saint Veran
$3,980 @ $1.22 on Not To Be Denied
OUCH!
$2,020 @ $2.60 on Silk Cloud
$2,000 @ $2.70 on Illbeatthebeach
TAMWORTH 7/10
OUCH!
$3,500 @ $2.90 on La La Bron
$1,525 @ $1.70 on Highview Sadler
PENRITH 7/10
BANG
$1,500 @ $4.80 on Court On The Edge
$1,000 @ $4.80 on Court On The Edge
OUCH!
$4,000 @ $2.50 on Ideal Fantasy
$2,000 @ $2.25 on Valencia
$1,050 @ $1.60 on Black Edition
WAGGA 8/10
BANG
$1,000 @ $2.60 on Street Writer
OUCH!
$1,050 @ $1.75 on Whereyabintwistin
MENANGLE 9/10
BANG
$1,800 @ $7 on Alpine Stride
$1,000 @ $2 on Power Of Red
OUCH!
$3,500 @ $4.80 on Cassius
$2,000 @ $2 on Master Catch