Murray Bridge Racing Review - Sunday, 12th July
Racing returned to its normal Sunday this week and although the weather was pretty cold the racing was rather hot!
It was the first Sunday meeting since COVID-19 restrictions eased - the public and trainers alike were happy to be at the track again and enjoying a beer and a good nosh up, and unlike the AFL the cheers from the crowds were real.
Rasso’s took out the maiden with the slightly less fancied Uninhabited with the favourite, Sydney’s Star leading until the home straight when he realised the length of the straight was more than the fuel he had left in the tank. The Mount Gambier visitors cheered on their charge – Dick Grayson – who ran home well for second.
The Mount Gambier cheers were back again for race 2 when Rough Pearl saluted as the $1.95 favourite. It was his 4th career win and his first outside of the Mount.
Nathan Goodenough backed up his last start winner, Aston Athena, in Race 4 over the 495m trip. She gave Nathan his first training winner last week and last night after a barnstorming run down the outside, and gave Nathan his second winner.
Race 5, the grade 5 TABCORP Stake, also over the 455m was a nail biter. Wild Looking jumped well and was a handy leader hitting the home turn. He’s won over the 395m trip before but the extra 60m got the better of him and he said “I’m done fellas, you guys have a crack”. Those guys were Boss Three Fifty and Cawbourne Scar and it was a ding dong battle with both hitting the deadest line locked together. Race caller Brenton Yates couldn’t separate them and the photo finish judge needed plenty of time too. It seemed a dead heat was on the cards but in the end Boss Three Fifty got up by a bee’s appendage!
The run of the night came in race 7 with the Danyo dogs having a ripper battle over the 395m. Charlie in the 3 and bully in 8 both jumped beautifully and both dogs broke the 5 second mark for the first split – that’s low flying! Charlie got the upper hand and in the end beat Bully by 3.5 metres and came very close to breaking the 22 second mark! I know the trainers have a big wrap on Charlie and a track record, they feel, is something Charlie could get one day!
Querencia stepped out with 3 others over the 530 metres at the very short price of $1.20 – and once the lids opened the price seemed overs. “Eli” jumped straight to the front but Springvale Slick didn’t give up. Slick, who is the timidest dog in the pen but a real competitor on the track, held on for as long as he could but Eli pulled away to win by 3.25 lengths in a very quick 29:71. It was his first crack at the 530m and if he can find a length or two Razor’s Edge record of 29:51 might be in jeopardy.
The last race was taken out by Nigel Lee at the juicy odds of 14/1. Boxed by Jayde and caught by Kathy, Nigel not only won the race, but also the won a chance for a swab which Kathy was thrilled about. She was smiling and laughing! It may not have been genuine!
Anyway, that was Murray Bridge, and that was my story!
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Winner of Race 2, Rough Pearl, with Elysia Bartholomew and family.