Aussie News - November 9

By Adam Hamilton

Let’s hope the likes of King Of Swing, Bling It On and maybe even Lochinvar Art can make this Queensland Summer Carnival something special.

With locals Colt Thirty One and Turn It Up flying, bringing some of the best eastern states stars into December’s Albion Park equation would be awesome.

Colt Thirty One blazed his way to another easy win at Albion Park last Saturday night.

King Of Swing stepped-out for the first time since his second to Lochinvar Art in the Victoria Cup when he won well in a 1 min 49.6sec mile last Saturday night.

Trainer Craig Cross has openly declared his wish to take King Of Swing, Bling It On and maybe others north for the Carnival, headlined by the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on December 12.

Lochinvar Art resumes from a freshen-up in a free-for-all at Melton this Saturday night. He’s then got the $60,000 Group 2 Breeders Crown Graduate free-for-all six days later at Melton.

“After that I’ll have to start making decisions on whether Queensland is a real option or not,” his trainer-driver David Moran said.

Colt Thirty One posted his 44th win from 75 starts when he sat parked and dashed home in 55.3sec at the end of a brisk 1min 54.7sec mile rate for 2138m last Saturday night.

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This truly is a Breeders Crown dominated by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.

The powerhouse barn is always a major player in the Breeders Crown, but this COVID-19 impacted series plays even stronger into their hands.

Of the 14 qualifying heats for two and three-year-olds, run across two meetings at Ballarat and Bendigo, Stewart and Tonkin won nine of them, headed by six of the seven for two-year-olds.

They head into the semi-finals next Saturday night with the favourite in pre-post markets all four two and three-year-old finals.

In the two-year-old fillies, the unbeaten and brilliant Ladies In Red is $3 favourite for the final ahead of stablemate Treachery at $3.50.

The colts and geldings is more open, but Stewart and Tonkin have five of the six favourites, headed by Beyond Delight ($3.80) and Major Moth ($5). Mick Stanley’s recent NSW Breeders Challenge final winner Bar Room Banta ($3.80) looks the only real threat.

The three-year-old colts and geldings final has recent stable addition Loorim Lake a $3.50 favourite and stablemate Mach Dan $5 equal second elect.

Stewart and Tonkin also have the two favourites in the three-year-old fillies final with Amelia Rose ($3) top of the market from Maajida at $3.50.

The Stewart/Tonkin dominance extends being aged-group racing, as shown when they snared the trifecta in the fast-class race at Melton last Saturday night.

A patient Chris Alford drive saw Tam Major finish over the top of a gallant Code Black with Major Times third in a 1min 54.7sec mile rate for 2240m.

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Vampiro was a major player in last year’s Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups and has found winning form again just in time for this year’s majors at Gloucester Park.

The speedy beginner used the pole to lead and Colin Brown rated him superbly to beat a string of stablemates in the 2536m free-for-all at Gloucester Park last Friday night.

Vampiro just did enough to stave-off Galactic Star with other stablemates Our Jimmy Johnstone third and Mighty Conqueror, winner of last year’s WA Pacing Cup, in fourth spot.

As it stands, the form through Chicago Bull and Shockwave still looks by far the strongest in the countdown to the majors.

Two emerging pacers who look possible contenders – To Fast To Serious and Perfect Major – both won brilliantly in restricted class races at Gloucester Park last Friday.

The Ray Williams-trained To Fast To Serious made it 12 wins from just 18 starts when he thrashed a moderate field in a brisk 1min 56.1sec mile rate for 2130m.

And former Victorian Perfect Major made it four wins from as many starts for new trainer Ross Olivieri in WA when he blazed to an 18.8m win in a 1min 55.9sec mile rate for 2130m.

The Group 1 Fremantle Cup is first-up at Gloucester Park on November 20 with the WA Pacing Cup two weeks later.

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Still on WA racing and it was terrific to see classy former Kiwi mare Wainui Creek show signs of her best form with a Gloucester Park win last Friday night.

Driver Ryan Warwick blasted her off the gate from a wide draw to lead, dictated terms and won as he liked in a cosy 1min 57.9sec mile rate for 2130m.

It was her first win in three WA starts for Team Bond and timely with the Group 1 Mares’ Classic coming up at Gloucester Park on November 27.

Stablemate Our Alfie Romeo also returned to something like her best form when she led throughout to win the opening race in similar all-the-way style and with Warwick in the sulky as well.

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Former star Kiwi youngster One Change remains unbeaten in his Queensland stint.

The Bettors Delight colt is five wins from as many starts for trainer Vicki Rasmussen after an easy 1min 53.3sec mile rate over 1660m at Albion Park last Saturday night.

The former All Stars pacer boasts 13 wins and six placings from his 19 career starts and now almost $550,000.