Aussie News - 27 October

By Adam Hamilton

SO far, so good for the Turn It Up experiment in Queensland.

The former budding star of the sport showed serious glimpses of the sort of form that won him an Auckland Cup among other features when he blitzed his rivals at Albion Park last night.

It was just his second run back from ongoing and serious feet issues which sidelined him after his Harness Jewels 4YO win back on June 1, last year.

Now leased and trained by Vicki Rasmussen, Turn It Up grabbed the eye at his first run back when a late-closing third to Colt Thirty One two weeks back.

Fitter and drawn the front row, driver Shane Graham drove with aggression and confidence by blasting across the field from gate seven to lead and that was effectively the end of the race.

Turn It Up cruised home in a 1min53sec mile rate for 1660m, running home in 55.4 and 27.9sec.

He’s been given a long, slow build-up by Rasmussen and looks to be shaping nicely for the Queensland Summer Carnival, headed by the rescheduled Group 1 Blacks A Fake on December 12.

Turn It Up’s won 12 of his 17 starts with four second and a third for earnings of $446,724.

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THE rampaging Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable flexed its muscle big time at Melton’s stellar card last Friday night.

As usual, they dominated the juveniles features by winning both Edgar Tatlow finals for fillies and colts and geldings.

Mach Three filly Ladies In Red confirmed her ranking as the best of the crop by sitting parked and dominantly winning her final where Stewart trained the first six placegetters.

Ladies In Red, driven by David Moran, zoomed clear and the top of the straight in a 55.3sec last half to win easily by 5.4m over the exciting Treachery with Beach Music third in a 1min55.2sec mile rate for 2240m.

Stewart had to settle for just the win the colts and geldings final when the powerhouse leader Act Now continued his hot form this campaign and won by 3.8m for driver Jodi Quinlan in a 1min55.1sec mile rate.

Anthony Butt’s former Kiwi Vanquish Stride dashed home late for second and is on the up at the right time.

Stewart’s star juvenile of last season, Maajida, looks primed for the Breeders Crown and Vicbred judging by barnstorming to victory in the strong Argent 3YO Fillies’ classic.

Kiwi interest was in Victoria Oaks winner Dr Susan, but she drew poorly and was never a hope back in ninth spot, 32m from the winner.

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THE girls continue to dominate Australia’s open-class trotting races.

Just two weeks after three-year-old filly Pink Galahs created history beating Australia’s best trotters in the Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint, one of the beaten brigade, Red Hot Tooth, bounced-back in the best possible way last Friday night.

Red Hot Tooth, already a multiple Group 1 winner, pounced on the lead from gate five in the True Roman free-for-all (2240m) and produced arguably the best win of her career for driver Kerryn Manning.

She cleared out to win by 19.5m in a 1min56.8sec mile rate, closing in 56.8 and 28.2sec.

It was her 24th win from 80 starts and edged Red Hot Tooth close to $500,000 in earnings.

Glamour mare Dance Craze got well back, was pushed deep and ran home fairly well for third.

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STILL on the stellar Melton card where Wolf Stride and Catch A Moment looks serious stars on the rise.

Already a Group 1 winner, Wolf Stride looked awesome clearing out to win the opening race by 9.1m in a slick 1min52.1sec mile rate for 1720m.

“He’ll make a Grand Circuit horse in time,” trainer-driver Anthony Butt said.

Catch A Moment looks Amanda Turnbull’s next star judging by his breathtaking Melton win.

The four-year-old led throughout, but it was the way he kept going further in front without being asked by driver James Herbertson to score by almost 35m in a 1min53sec mile rate for the longer 2240m trip.

By comparison, Lochinvar Art went a track record 1min51.4sec for 2240m winning the Victoria Cup two weeks ago.

“He could’ve gone much quicker,” Herbertson said. “I was trying to give him as easy a run as possible knowing he’s got the final of this race next week.”

It was a big night for Turnbull, who also trained and drove Speak No Evil to a minor upset win in the Group 3 Angelique Club Pace (2240m) for mares’.

NZ’s best mare Our Princess Tiffany was sent out a commanding $1.60 favourite, but couldn’t repeat her sparkling win in the Make Mine Cullen the previous week and disappointed in fourth spot.

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EVERGREEN Galactic Star upstaged his more glamour stablemates to win the free-for-all at Gloucester Park last Friday night.

The younger Vampiro was sent out a $1.30 favourite, led as expected from the pole, dictated terms, but couldn’t hold-off Galactic Star’s finishing burst from the one-one trail.

Maybe Team Bond’s stable driver Ryan Warwick gave punters the tip when he elected to drive Galactic Star of their six runners in the eight-horse field.

Galactic Star powered home to win by 1.6m from Vampiro with Stroke Of Luck third.

Reigning WA Pacing Cup winner Mighty Conqueror sat parked, never looked a winning hope and just battled on fairly for fourth.

Being blunt, the race just reinforced Chicago Bull and Shockwave had a fair gap on their nearest rivals right now in the countdown to the Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups in late November/early December.

The other star performer of the night was classy mare Balcatherine, who resumed from a spell to brilliantly win the mares’ race by 12.3m in a slick 1min55.1sec mile rate for 2130m. She led and dashed home in 55.3 and 27.7sec.

The disappointment was former Kiwi mare Wainui Creek, who did some work and sat parked, but tired very badly to finish almost 30m from the winner in second-last spot.

Balcatherine’s win quickly stamped her as the testing material for the upcoming Group 1 Mares’ Classic at Gloucester Park on November 27.

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KIMA Frenning’s focus on training just got more exciting.

Frenning unveiled her recent Kiwi import Russley Rush for a sparkling Ballarat win last Thursday night.

The four-year-old son of Art Major led and won as he liked by 10.6m in a 1min57sec mile rate for 1710m, zipping home in 27.5sec for driver Chris Alford.

Russley Rush raced 15 times in NZ for Tony Herlihy for a win and six placings.