GATTON CUP - EAGLE FARM - MAGIC MILLIONS PHOTOS.....Part 1

By Phil Purser

04/06/2012

Eagle Farm photos Dan Costello - rest Phil Purser

Journeywoman jockey Cecily Eaton has a philosophy of "have saddle will travel" and she only took until Race 2 at Gatton last Saturday to get into the winners list on the day - on Steel To Heel. Cecily's been one of Queensland's most successful provincial riders over a long period of time. Let's catch up with the trainer of Steel To Heel.

There we are - that's winning trainer Peter Overell and winning jockey Cecily Eaton - happily posing for the Justracing camera after their $4.40 chance got home easily after a good ride. "Cecily won the last time I legged her onto a horse of mine," the winning trainer told awaiting media (which sadly on the day was only me, me and me).

Gatton Club President Ward Meldrum (on the right of picture) then invited the winning Oakey based trainer Peter Overell to the committee room for a drink. Peter hasn't been sighted since but Ward made it home safely, as his wife is Mellissa Meldrum, the affable and hard working secretary of the club.

Respected journalist (many from within his ranks aren't respected) Bernie Pramberg (on the left) was photographed catching up with leading country trainer, Roma based Craig Smith - at the Gatton Cup meeting last Saturday. I hope Craig didn't tip Bernie into Dancing Prodigy later that evening in Toowoomba - as that horse ran second at $8.

Talking about journos - can someone please explain to me what I often write about here - namely how can it possibly take three journos to write cumulatively eight paragraphs between them, as per this The Courier Mail article from last week. Which journo is responsible for which paragraph and exactly how long does it take three people to pen eight paragraphs. The world has gone officially mad.

Caloundra based trainer Louise White and jockey Chris Munce got the day's action underway at Eagle Farm on Queensland Oaks day when they combined to win the opening race with Crosscannons which started at $9 after the Handsome Ranson gelding had opened at $6.50.

Trainer Liam Birchley was photographed with Race 2 Eagle Farm winner Pepperwood which started at 30/1. Many punters were shocked by the win, but had they been Saturday Morning Mail clients they would have been told the following in their 9am report:

"Last two starts has carried 59kgs at WFA and he hasn’t been disgraced. Drops 3kgs here against infinitely easier company but his last win was way back on 26/12/10. Include in all multiples at cricket score odds".

Down at the Magic Millions last week, it was strange April showers sort of weather, in May - sunny one minute and raining the next, as per this photo, but Justracing braved the elements to bring readers these photos, in a real guts effort.

This attractive and well presented Commands weanling colt sold on behalf of Rothwell Park, Murrurundi, NSW, as agent, attracted spirited bidding when he entered the Magic Millions sales ring and he sold for $140,000. Commands has already sired 46 stakeswinners and is the sire of current talented Sydney sprinter Rain Affair.

Nervous times. When the valuable Commands weanling was parading for the public, prior to going through the sales ring, Rothwell Park even had another staff member nearby and ready to move at a moments notice if the toey youngster played up too much. This young lady wasn't needed and the colt did the right thing by his fellow female handler.

If you can't afford $140,000 then can you afford $8,000? That's all that one needed to part with to take this Sebring filly home. Granted she was quite small, but had a leg hanging off each end of her body. A big tear up for the breeder here as Golden Slipper winner Sebring stands for $38,500. The filly's mother - Mandlikova - won two races including one in Sydney. Her grandmother My Czeck Chick won five races and was placed in a Listed Dark Jewel Classic at Scone, so it's not as if the pedigree page was hopeless.

According to the advertisments - sire Bradbury's Luck is all the go. The breeder of this Bradbury's Luck filly would no doubt disagree - as she was passed in for just $4,500 after bidding started at just $2,000. Be very wary around thoroughbred advertisements. The dam of this filly won two races and she is a full sister to New Zealand Group placegetter and two times winner - Shadowfax Babe. Notice how the weanling filly pricked her ears as soon as she saw the Justracing camera - she probably thought she was going to be in the glue shot of the week, but I'm a very fair man and you're right darlin' - you all get a fair chance to perform out on the racetrack, before it's open season and I bag you here.

This impressive looking Big Brown weanling colt went through the Magic Millions last week and sold for $80,000. Catalogued on account of Vinery Stud, Scone, as agent, the colt is a half brother to four times race winner - and multiple Melbourne winner Cuban Sunday. Big Brown is a four times Group 1 winner who was named "Champion 3YO colt in the USA" in 2008 and he stands for $27,500 at Vinery. He didn't win a race under 1600 metres which is interesting so he should infuse a bit of ticker into his progeny. Won't that be a pleasant change if it happens, given all the squibs that race?

Back out at Gatton and I caught up with dual licensed person Lyn Paton. Lyn had runners on the day and she and jockey Jason Hoopert combined to win Race 6 on the card with $5.50 chance Rahula. She also ran two seconds on the day - with Fortune Favours in the Gatton Cup (Cyril Small) and Bom Chika Wah Wah (Jason Hoopert) in Race 2. Let's catch up with Lyn after the Gatton Cup and see if she was happy or sad at running second.

There is Lyn Paton with jockey Cyril Small after the pair has gone down narrowly in the Gatton Cup when flying home up along the fence on the slow 7 track. Cyril Small, who by his colours intended to be the star on the day by winning the Cup, drove all the way from the Gold Coast for the one ride, on Fortune Favours - and he was wrong by only a long head on the $7 chance when they hit the line. That's Fortune Favours in the background crowing about his win - but it's official, you got beaten Dopey.

And when Lyn Paton's driving pacers this is how she scrubs up - not bad. Justracing took this photo at a recent Toowoomba meeting she was driving at. Note there's more stars in these colours, so she's right into the stars - and probably reads tea leaves.

Come to think of it, It's the wonder she doesn't get a greyhound - just to keep her occupied and to keep her busy.

First starter Torin got a run in Race 2 at Eagle Farm last Saturday in the race won by Pepperwood - and he got beaten by 63.75 lengths. He was photographed returning to scale with race jockey Tim Bell. The horse is related to Makybe Diva, but what is that relevant to, as Peter Sutcliffe's brother wasn't a mass murderer and Kieren Perkins brother drowned in a bath tub.

The horse and trainer have come in for some bad press since the race but if you take the "dare to dream" facet out of racing you may as well shut down the entire racing industry. So he was thrown in the deep end and drowned - and that exact scenario has happened a million times before in the game and it will happen a million times in the future. If he was trained by a high profile trainer who couldn't necessarily train a choko vine over an outhouse, no one would have said a thing about the run, except maybe the stewards.

Sires' Produce winner Sizzling was photographed with trainer Kelso Wood, second from left - and some of the part owners of the colt following the victory. Sizzling will run a short priced favourite in the T. J. Smith next Saturday, but is he the good thing most think? No such thing as a "good thing" in racing. In any event time will tell if he is.

New weight-for-age queen Lights Of Heaven was photographed returning to scale after winning the Eagle Farm Cup last Saturday and collecting the winners cheque of $160,000. The mare was photographed with race winning jockey Luke Nolan who felt compelled to salute the Justracing camera - and rightly so - before he heads off to England soon to partner Black Caviar. Luke's smart enough to know that any person, or persons, who speak ill of Justracing creates very bad karma for the person speaking such drivel. With Luke and Lights of Heaven is esteemed Clerk of the Course - Sarah Mannion. "I've got Justracing in my favourites", Sarah didn't tell Dan Costello.

Let me introduce you to one of Queensland's newest and most promising apprentices - Tomarra Serjeant. I got to meet Tomarra last Saturday at Gatton and she was telling me that she is apprenticed to Toowoomba trainer Tony Sears. She's ridden nine winners in her career-to-date and she can ride at 49kgs, meaning she claims three kilos in the bush. The closest Tomarra got to riding a winner at Gatton last Saturday was a second placing on Rockin' Rees in Race 5, but second is better than third in this caper. That's a bullet proof vest that Tomarra is wearing - in case there are any angry punters in the crowd, or on the grassy knoll near the Gatton grandstand.

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.................