Last night’s President’s Cup at Albion
Park went according to script.
$1.50
favourite Mocka Shocker ran home a two lengths winner over Finn’s Express with
Fashion Flyer third. On a night where quick times were not being run, Mocka
Shocker clocked 42.25, well outside the 41.73 winning time the son of Give Me
Five and Am Classy ran during the Winter Chase series two months ago.
Trainer
Rachel Scott will now press on to next Thursday’s heats of the National
Distance Championship, also over 710 metres at Albion
Park, with Mocka Shocker.
Brisbane
G.R.C. president Michael Byrne (pictured with handler Mike Chapman and Mocka
Shocker) said the President’s Cup is a time honoured race and an excellent
guide to the Nationals.
Chapman
was full of praise for last night’s win by Mocka Shocker.
‘’The
dog badly needed a solid hitout over the 710 metres trip. And he overcame an
early check in running when the box seven runner Lady Tycoon came across,’’
Chapman said.
‘’We
have had our eyes on the Nationals for quite a few months. Going to Darwin
for their Cup was one option but we really wanted to have a crack at the
staying series,’’ Chapman stated.
Darren
Titmarsh, trainer of second placegetter Finn’s Express, was rapt with the run
of his bitch.
‘’From
the eight box, she was pushed very wide around the first corner and covered a
heap of extra ground. She stuck to her guns all the way and kept chasing hard,
that’s typical for her,’’ Titmarsh said.
‘’But in rating
our bitch as a good run, so too was Mocka Shocker. People from the grandstand
may not have noticed but he got hammered early, a real nasty check. What a run
to overcome that and go on and win.’’
There are 16
nominations for next Thursday’s National Distance heats at Albion
Park. Some will drop off before
final acceptances this Monday. Exactly how many will determine whether two
heats are conducted, or a Prelude.
Either way,
Mocka Shocker and Finn’s Express look likely to be in the state final on August
9, trying to win a berth in the group 1 $75,000 to the winner grand final in
Hobart on Saturday, August 25.
It was a double
to sire Give Me Five in the main races at Albion
Park last night. He produced Tough
As who won the A Team Stud ‘’Best Eight’’ over 520 metres in 30.19.
Tough As led all
the way from box one to beat Wise Forecast and Sobbing Destiny. Tough As is one
of four entries trainer Ron Ball has in next Thursday’s heats of the National
Sprint Championship at Albion Park.
The Hall of Fame trainer also has reigning National Sprint champion Metz Magic
along with Queensland Derby winner Bellagio Lad and Young Guns winner Cakes and
Pies nominated.
At Dapto last
night, the Tony Brett trained Glen Gallon finished seventh in the group 2
Megastars Stake, following a slow beginning and early interference.
The race was won
by $8 chance Bye Bye Bucks. It was the biggest career win for trainer Ken Lewis
who keeps a small team in work. Lewis has not nominated Bye Bye Bucks for the
National Sprint Championship series.
At The Meadows
in Melbourne tomorrow (Saturday) night, recent Albion Park Gold Cup winner He
Knows Uno has drawn box five in the group 2 AWM Distance Championship final
over 725 metres.
The Michael
Patterson trained dog is rated a $3.60 second favourite. The Graeme Bate
trained Irma Bale, drawn box two, is the $2.50 favourite.
Bate has three
runners in the $100,000 to the winner Hudson Pacific Maturity Stake over 525
metres on the same card. His runners are Desalle Bale ($4.00) from box
one, Barcia Bale ($1.80 favourite) in
box three and Dyna Filbert ($33.00) in box six.
Barcia Bale (Go
Wild Teddy – Princess Bale is undefeated in nine career starts.
Story by Paul Dolan, photo by Corey
Pearce.
