MUSWELLBROOK'S Andrew Robinson has forgiven Trophies Galore for her past bad deed after she scored an impressive win in the Hollydene Estate Wines Benchmark 58 (1280m) for fillies and mares at Muswellbrook on Friday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Trophies Galore stepped on Robinson's right foot several weeks ago which left limping badly then later, in an unrelated accident, he aggravated the injury further and has been on crutches since.
"She is back in my good books and is forgiven," he said.
"This is a very promising filly and she should have won more than two races but she has not had the best of luck and has drawn bad barriers several times.
"I am not sure whether to give her one more run or tip her out now.
"I will wait and see how she pulls up then make a decision."
Andrew Gibbons, riding the filly for the first time, let her trail the pace before releasing the brakes in the straight.
Trophies Galore ($3.20) quickly gathered in the $2.20 favourite Korrawi (Greg Ryan) to race way and win by one-and-three-quarter lengths in a class record time of 1:15.63 seconds.
***
GIBBONS made it a double when he won the Pirtek Benchmark 58 (1750m) on the Kris Lees-trained top weight Itz Lily.
And, while he steered the filly to the win his son, Dillon, strapped the horse.
"It's the Gibbons quinella," the jockey quipped.
Gibbons was impressed with the effort despite Tennessee Man (Reece Jones) racing out to a big lead then sticking on bravely to run second.
"I always thought I would catch the leader although my filly had to carry 61kg, which had me a bit worried," he said.
"She is not a big filly and to carry that weight and win the way she did suggests she has a big motor."
Itz Lily ran past Tennessee Man then careered away to beat him by three-and-three-quarter lengths.
***
THE Pat Farrell-trained two-year-old Bengalla Bay took on older horses and gave them a galloping lesson in leading for most of the trip to win the Hunter Belle Cheese Class Two (1000m).
That was his second consecutive win after scoring in the Romantic Dream Two-Year-Old (1000m) at Muswellbrook last month.
Bengalla Bay, the $4 equal favourite, dwelt slightly at the start but Darryl McLellan drove him along the rails to grab the lead just past the 800 metres and opened up a lead of several lengths.
The horse was still well clear on straightening and went on to win by two and a half lengths from Aunty Pugs ($6).
The other equal favourite Havenot finished fourth.
***
WYONG-based trainer Les Tilley described Midi as "a big dumb bugger" after the four-year-old came from last to win the @thebrookracing On Twitter Maiden (1450m) and run a class record.
"I quite like the horse and I think he will make a nice stayer later on but he is still pretty dumb," Tilley said.
"I will step him up in distance at his next start which will suit him even more.
"He will probably only have one or two more starts then go to the paddock."
Midi (Rachel Murray) was backed in late to start the $2.70 favourite after Have A Go Joe dumped Ben Looker at the barrier, galloped a short distance then broke through the outside fence.
The race was delayed for about 20 minutes while the horse was re-captured and the fence repaired.
Midi was slowly away and Murray was content to let him relax at the tail of the field before going wide on the turn then finishing down the centre of the track.
Despite wanting to hang in he still reeled in the leader to win by three quarters of a length from Populist ($11).
His winning time of 1:26.51 eclipsed the previous record of 1min 26.80 which had stood since January 2013.
***
FORMER leading English sire Zebedee had his first Australian winner when the Jeremy Sylvester-trained Luff (Samantha Clenton) raced away for an effortless win in the Magic Millions National Sale Maiden (900m).
Luff, one of only two two-year-olds in the field, under lined his ability to win by four lengths in smart time and left punters cheering after being well supported to start the $3.50 second favourite.
Sylvester bought Luff as a yearling for $50,000 and put together a large syndicate of owners including several people new to racing.
Connections, including the trainer, were nervous when Luff arrived at the barriers but their concerns were short-lived.
At the previous Muswellbrook meeting the horse refused to be loaded into the barriers and was a late scratching forcing Sylvester to trial him.
He came through the trial well and Clenton told connections that Luff had behaved himself this time.
"He hesitated momentarily then was the third horse loaded and went straight in," she said.
Sylvester believes he and the syndicate will have a lot of fun with Luff.
"I think he has the makings of a very nice horse," Sylvester said.
Clenton let Luff settle in fourth place early, got a split at the top of the straight and raced away without being extended.
That was his first start after running second on debut at Tamworth then being spelled.
Zebedee, a son of Invincible Spirit, is shuttling from Ireland to Cornerstone Stud in South Australia.
In Europe he stands among the top four sires of two-year old winners.
***
LEADING jockey Greg Ryan believes that Sheeran will need to be stepped up in distance despite an easy win in the Mendelssohn @ Coolmore Three-Year-Old Maiden (1280m).
"He probably needs go to 1600m if he is going to progress through his grades," Ryan said.
"He is a bit one paced and when asked for an effort he can find a length and hold it."
The Allan Denham trained Sheeran, the $3.20 favourite, trailed the pace then Ryan took advantage of the cutaway to dash to the lead and win by one and a half lengths from the well backed Bugalugs.
***
GAYNA Williams headed to Muswellbrook with Redirect with no great expectations for the horse in the Viatek Benchmark 58 (1280m).
"I just wanted him to run a good and I would have been quite happy for him to finish third," she said.
Instead Williams was sporting a wide grin and got far more than she bargained for when Redirect (Ashley Morgan), led, was passed in the straight then fought back near the line to win in a three-way photo finish.
"He was brave, very brave and he wanted to win," Williams said.
"I honestly did not think he could win against what I thought was a tough field with runners from two city stables."
Redirect is a changed horse since Williams hit on the idea of having a barrier attendant hold his tail.
"He was missing the start and running home well but not winning," Williams said.
"Since we have an attendant hold his tail he jumps away with the field and it is having the desired effect."
The horse has won three of his last four starts, two over 1300 metres at Gunnedah and Scone plus the 1280 metres here.
Redirect ($4.80) won by a short head from the odds-on favourite He's A Hotshot (Greg Ryan).
***
STEADY rain set in prior to the last two races and jockeys returned to scale after the seventh, the Muswellbrook Workers Club Class Two (1450m), covered in mud.
The race was won by the Team Hawkes-trained Priestess, ridden by Ben Looker, who waited for the cutaway then flew home along the inside to win by half a length from the top weight and favourite Nitride.
Priestess ($5.50) was having her third start from a spell and this was her second win from eight starts after winning a maiden at Cessnock last September.
