By Casey O'Connor
It was all systems go for the seven-event TAB race meeting at Allman Park on Monday.
As a result of the current COVID lockdown in Southeast Queensland, Racing’s governing body, Racing Queensland updated COVID advice and protocols, and Essential Racing Personnel were required to wear face masks at all times.
Punters got off on the right foot when the well fancied favourite Go Wandji sprinted away in the straight with opening event, the Hector Hockings Memorial Class Three over 1100 metres.
The Toowoomba trained and owned four-year-old was confidently ridden by Jackson Murphy.
The gelding was returning from a break and put the writing on the wall with a solid trial in Toowoomba a few weeks ago.
Starting a very warm favourite at $1.35, Go Wandji made it three wins from as many starts and could not have been more impressive.
Punters were on-song in the second event, the Peter Watt Memorial QTIS handicap for three-year-olds over the 800-metre sprint trip, where well-backed Beaudesert visitor Million Stars did not disappoint his followers.
Jockey Travis Wolfgram trailed the leaders into the straight and finished strongly over the top of the Les Clarke-trained Life’s a Gift and Eagle Farm visitor Rising Spirit to win by half a length who started equal favourites.
There was plenty of support for the winner who started at $4.80 after as much as $7.50 was bet.
A field of eight lined up in the next, the Trevor Locke Memorial Sprint also over 800 metres. Punters landed another body blow to the bookmakers when topweight and $1.80 favourite Copper Sunset finished too strongly for another from the Les Clarke stable, Peta Calada ($12). The winner, a lightly raced four-year-old, now has three wins from five starts.
Sunshine Coast trainer Tom Button and apprentice Zac Llyod combined to win the Mick Rawlins Memorial Maiden over 1500metres with Sejana, another lightly raced and newly minted four-year-old after all horses celebrated their birthday on 1 August. The Sebring colt was bred locally at Canning Downs and did his early racing under Gary Portelli in Sydney before he was transferred to Button’s Sunshine Coast Stable. He attracted plenty of attention from punters and was another shortener. After opening at $9.50 the colt, patiently ridden by Zac Lloyd, landed some good bets and started at $4.80. The favourite Ice Elite was slowly away from the barriers and was only narrowly beaten on the line.
Punters were on the money in the TAB Benchmark 62 over 1200 metres.
Starting $2.50 favourite, Mother’s Day from the Tony Gollan stable was well handled by Georgina Cartwright who sat midfield in the early stages and following the pattern of racing throughout the afternoon got her horse to the outside in the straight, finishing strongly to win by a length from another Les Clarke galloper Grandioso who was being hailed the winner in the straight with Swan Island back third.
Gollan and Cartwright combined to win the next event, the Colleen Burgess Memorial 0 – 55 Handicap (1100 METRES), with Chelsea Reign.
Cartwright was again content to sit back midfield and worked into the race nicely coming to the turn.
The mare had work to do when she got to the outside in the straight but went home strongly to score by a length over Very Soon and Love Son. Chelsea Reign was another for the punters, starting favourite at $3.20 to give Gollan and Cartwright a back-to-back double at the meeting.
Local trainer Les Clarke saddled up favourite Test of War in the final event and was looking for a change of fortune after three of his gallopers finished second in earlier races.
Test of War had the big field off the bit in the mid-stages of the race with 14 lengths covering first to last.
Test of War led into the straight and on a day when conditions looked to suit back markers the favourite looked like fighting off all challengers before rank outsider Native Bee powered home in the final few bounds to grab the lead.
Perhaps the only people cheering for the six-year-old, other than connections, were the bookmakers.
The winner, trained by Damien Rideout from Thangool and ridden by Les Tilley, started at $61, finally giving bookmakers some reprieve.
It wrapped up the Warwick Turf club meeting which paid tribute to; Peter Watt, Hector Hockings, Mick Rawlins, Colleen Burgess, Johnny Barbierato and Trevor Locke who all played a significant role at Allman Park over the years.
Racing action does not return to Allman Park now until the big Warwick Cup day 9 October.
