Cameron Butcher has a night out
The past week at the Bridge…
Tuesday (Straight Track)
We had 12 intriguing races up the straight with a wide mix of hounds and trainers taking part.
It was a Victorian visitor in Mark Gidings who had the first winner with his fawn chaser - Orson Delight. After receiving a hefty amount of support to overtake the perennial place getter - Bourdain as favourite, it was a pretty comfortable ride for the Orson Delight followers as he found the front and went into cruise control thereafter, going all the way in 16.98. Gididngs then made it a double for the day when Orson Franky lobbed in the 9th, with a super chasing effort after bombing the start, before hooking wide and storming home in 16.75.
Jack Trengove had a good day with his team, taking home a couple of winners. Up There Billy continued his affiliation with the straight track, winning in a slick 16.66 before the airborne Helmet Giblet completed the double with a comfortable 16.82 effort.
Ben Rawlings was the star of the day, scoring 3 super impressive victories. The most impressive of the lot was easily the return of the injury riddled - Spofforth. After a long 5 months off, Spofforth returned in a hot open grade race over the 300m trip. It looked curtains for him after he came out average and saw a few tails early. However, in a display of brilliance, he was able to hook to wide and grind down Danyo’s Wylie, to clock an outstanding 16.60 return victory. Phantom Call (19.10 BOD) and Judy’s Chaos (16.72) were the other impressive victories for Rawlings on the card.
Dog to follow: Bingo Ringo - Don’t know a lot about this Victorian hound, but his effort on Tuesday was very eye-catching. Walked out of the boxes at his first start on the track, but put in a very hard chasing effort, to nearly run down Energy Rush, who clocked a BOD 16.59 effort himself. Bingo Ringo lobs in the very tough grade 6 final this Tuesday, but if he comes out of the boxes better, he’s going to be going close.
Sunday (1-Turn)
A cracking run at the Bridge continued with another 12 very strong races on Sunday night.
The Cameron Butcher trained - Meningie took out the first in impressive fashion, with a slick 22.56 effort. It was a really professional effort from the brindle chaser, doing everything right on her way to a comprehensive, debut victory. Cameron later made it a treble for the night when Rosie Red held on in a gripping effort to score in 25.75, before Jack’s Well put in an enormous run to put away Adele’s Entity in a flying 29.61.
Photo: Meningie dashes past the line to win in her first ever race
Credit: Kurt Donsberg Photography
Gemtree Maximus broke his run of luckless runs when he demolished a strong open grade field with a very sharp 22.10 run. It was a good beginning that paved the way for the dominant victory, which provided a much needed confidence booster for him. Hopefully we can now see the real Gemtree Maximus and he can put a few together.
Razzle Darryl was enormous en route to his slick 22.45 win. Normally being last away over the 395m trip is a recipe for disaster, but Darryl was simply too good as he railed through to hit the front around the turn, before storming away to win by 7 lengths - impressive! Ozzie Chegia made it two for the night when Fantastic Radley won by the length of the Flemington straight during his electric 38.73 gallop. The Zoom Top has just been run and won and I recon Radley had a fair old case to be there. Nevertheless, a Perth Galaxy is fast approaching and if he heads that way, he’s going to be hard to stop - he’s very good.
Allinga Ollie extended his increasing picket fence. He was an alarming drifter in betting, but Ollie was just way too good again, leading all the way in 25.62. That’s 6 in a row and 8 wins from his last 9 - Super!
Dog to follow: Safe Drop - This was an enormous effort on Sunday night from her. Box 8 was no good as she was poorly away before going searching for the fence and getting denied. She then had to drop back to last before getting hot in the home straight and storming through on the rail, getting past a couple of good ones in Major Major & Didelis in the process. Back her if she draws inside next start.