AFTER more than six months of racing in the 2011-2012 season, the Warrnambool training combination of Bill and Symon Wilde holds a commanding lead in the Western District trainers’ premiership.
The Wildes have led in 18 local winners from 76 runners on district tracks since August 1 last year. Darren Weir, who has stables at Warrnambool and Ballarat is in equal second place with Warrnambool’s Matthew Williams. Both have had 13 winners. Jarrod McLean has 10 winners from 78 runners.
Horsham jockey Dean Yendall has an eight-win break on his nearest rival Nikita McLean in the jockeys’ premiership. Yendall has ridden 23 winners from his 98 district rides while McLean has 15 winners to her credit from 129 rides. Talented Melbourne jockey Jamie Mott is in third spot with 13 winners from only 48 rides.
The 2011-2012 premiership ends on July 31.
Consistent mare in dead-heat
CONSISTENT Warrnambool mare Forever Here got up in the last stride to dead-heat with Condahussler in a $35,000 restricted race over 1400 metres at Werribee on Sunday.
The dead heat took Forever Here’s record to three wins from seven starts. She also has four minor placings to her credit. Her trainer Matthew Williams praised the effort.
“She’s a very honest mare. She appeared to be struggling coming up to the corner but she put her head down in the home straight and went to the line really well.
“She would have won the race outright in one more stride but they pay out on what happens at the finishing line,” he said.
“She’s really turned her form around in this preparation. She was a bit of a non-winner in her last preparation but she’s turned that all around this time in work. I think she was immature last time. I think she has toughened up a lot.” Forever Here will be heading to the spelling paddock for three weeks before Williams looks at a race at Warrnambool’s May Racing Carnival for her.
“She’s had a hard run today and her last run at Warrnambool when she won was a hard run. We’ll give her a break in the paddock for a few weeks. Many Warrnambool people are in the ownership of the horse and I reckon they would love her to run at the Warrnambool May carnival,” Williams said.
“We’ll weigh up our options over the next few weeks but there is also a race at the Adelaide Cup Carnival which would suit her. I think 1400 metres suits her at this time in her career but I think once she matures more she might get a solid 1600 metres.”
Forever Here has earned more than $45,000 for her connections after being sold as a yearling in Adelaide for $60,000.
Spirit Song in top form
TALENTED Warrnambool mare Spirit Song has surprised her trainer Aaron Purcell by winning three of her past four runs for the young trainer.
Spirit Song won a $70,000 mares’ race at Sandown on Saturday by nearly four lengths.
“She’s a tough mare who is really flying,” Purcell said. “We’ve got no big plans for her. She will run at Caulfield over 1800 metres on February 11 in similar company to what she ran in today.”
Meanwhile, Yorkshire Lad, a late scratching in a restricted race at Werribee on Sunday, will run again in two to three weeks. Yorkshire Lad took control of his jockey on the way to the barrier in the 1400-metre race. The stewards ordered that Yorkshire Lad be scratched after he bolted two laps of the Werribee track before the race.
“He was feeling very fit. He was a ball of muscle before the race. He just took control of the jockey before the race. We’ll have him ready to run again in a few weeks,” Purcell said. “We’ll get him led to the barriers next time by the clerk of the course. I’m confident that will settle him down.”
Yorkshire Lad has three wins to his credit from 20 starts.
No surprises for Ryan
WARRNAMBOOL trainer Simon Ryan was not disappointed in the efforts of Bunker Boy which ran sixth in the $140,000 Werribee Cup on Sunday. The five-year-old finished six lengths behind Apprehend in the 2600-metre race.
“I thought he had no luck in the run. He got shuffled back early in the race due to the slow pace,” Ryan said. “The tempo of the race never suited him. The race was a big lift in class. I thought he was stiff not to run a place.”
The former jumps jockey said Bunker Boy would have his next run in a $30,000 restricted race over 3000 metres at Moonee Valley under lights on Friday, February 10 before running in a $100,000 restricted race over 2500 metres at the Valley on March 2. Bunker Boy has won five of his 21 starts.
Suspension for former Colac jockey
FORMER Colac jockey Ryan Maloney and Brad Rawiller were suspended by stewards at Mornington last Friday. Both pleaded guilty to careless riding charges. Maloney had his licence suspended from midnight last night until midnight on Wednesday, February 8. Rawiller was also suspended from midnight last night until Friday, February 10.
WHO TO FOLLOW:
ALLAN CLARK: under-rated Hamilton trainer. Clark only has a small team in work but his runners usually run well at good odds. Lady Brolga won a restricted race at Donald on Saturday for Clark. Keep on following his runners.
BLAKE SHINN: Melbourne Cup-winning jockey just keeps on riding winners after coming back from a long lay-off out of the saddle. Shinn is one of the best jockeys in Australia. Leave his rides out of your multiple selections at your own risk.
BOMBALATOMBA: impressive winner in a 1400-metre race at Sandown on Saturday. More wins are in store for the three-year-old.
LIKE AN EAGLE: beaten by a nose at his Melbourne debut on Saturday. The Western Australian-trained galloper will win races in Melbourne before he heads back home.
GIRESUN: consistent four-year-old which ran third in a 1600-metre race at Sandown on Saturday. He’s now had two runs over the 1600 metres and is ready to win in a suitable race.
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