Kiwis go close in Brisbane Group 1s

By Adam Hamilton 

The Kiwis came, didn’t conquer but won huge respect at Albion Park last night.

Exciting Kiwi pair Dash Dosh and Marketplace ran fantastic second placings in the two Group 1 features.

Tom Bagrie’s first Aussie raid with a horse proved memorable when Dash Dosh ran a terrific race behind star Victorian mare Jilliby Dreamlover in the $150,000 Group 1 Great Square.

In the next race, Regan Todd’s young star Marketplace beat all bar champion mare Captains Mistress in a record-smashing $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun.

Bagrie lamented what might have been and confirmed Dash Dosh would stay in Brisbane for another two races at Albion Park in coming weeks.

“Luck didn’t quite go our way tonight, but she ran a great race and getting a Group 1 second in such a strong race is great,” he said.

Dash Dosh burnt off the gate from four to lead, but Jilliby Dreamlover had even more speed and crossed her from six.

Then the twist came when Jilliby Dreamlover then took a sit on Tracy The Jet, which pushed Dash Dosh back to three pegs.

Driver John Dunn hunted for inside runs and was held up briefly by the winner, but he was sure the mare had her chance to win.

“I thought about coming off the pegs down the back, but I’m not sure it would’ve changed things. The winner was holding me on the line. She gave a great burst of speed.

“I thought she went great, our mare. That was a hot race and we burnt a bit early and she still finished the race off well.”

Winning co-trainer Paddy Lee confirmed Jilliby Dreamlover would take the golden ticket into the $500,000 Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final on July 18.

“As long as she comes through it well, she’ll go on to the big one,” he said. “She’s been there and done it before.”

Jilliby Dreamlover won a heat of the Great Southern Star and ran third to stablemates Keayang Zahara and Jilliby Ballerini. She also ran second in the Group 1 Macarthur Mile at Menangle in May.

In contrast to Dash Dosh, Marketplace is heading for a break before aiming at the spring riches in Canterbury.

“This was always the Grand Final. He’s gone great and can head home now,” Todd said.

Marketplace’s run to work hard early, land the one-one trail and finish a brave second to the phenomenal Captains Mistress was monstrous.

As dominant as Captains Mistress was, she led on the marker pegs and had Marketplace been on the pegs he would have gotten much closer.

But Captains Mistress was sublime and her incredible 1min50.3sec mile rate for 2138m took 0.7sec off Leap To Fame’s track record.

“She’s just amazing,” driver Cam Hart said. “It’s a relief to get the win because this has been a plan for so long, win this and go on to the Inter Dominion (pacing) final.”

Like Jilliby Dreamlover, Captains Mistress’ win landed her a golden ticket and connections will snap it up.

She firmed from $6 to $4.50 second favourite in the pacing final behind Leap To Fame, who comfortably won his first round heat last night.

In the trotting final, former Kiwi and now local Queensland star Gus romped home in his heat last night and is into $1.35 for the final.