The Chris Waller stable has again conquered the $200,000 Carlton Dry Port Macquarie Cup following Our Intrigues decisive victory in the great race.
The champion trainer’s first venture to the north coast was in 2011 when Old Bill took the trophy and regular visits have resulted in a further two victories in the years leading up to the recent running.
The domination continued when Our Intrigue was able to arrest the lead from stablemate and early leader, Achiever, with the daughter of Showcasing narrowly surviving the late challenge by Nemingah to collect the lion’s share of the massive prizemoney offered.
The result was further vindication for the judgement of Waller, with both horses bypassing the metropolitan meeting at Randwick to concentrate on the Port Cup campaign with happy results.
Nemingah was responsible for another honest performance with the Edward O’Rourke trained gelding now placed second in his four recent outings including the Lismore and Port Macquarie Cups.
Achiever did all the bullocking work in front and fought on well to claim third with Unamerican ridden a perfect race after settling just off the pace before Winona Costin angled the gelding off the rails around the home bend to finishing a creditable fourth.
Fantastic Baby had automatic entry for the event following victory in the prelude and ran a solid race while Fast Talking attracted plenty of support before finishing sixth.
The $80,000 Birdon Group Sprint was an exciting finish with the Greg McFarlane trained gelding, Liberty Sun, able to withstand the finishing burst of Charmmebaby and Top Me Up Again to land the prize.
The son of Statue of Liberty was inclined to over race in the initial stages before Louise Day allowed the son of Statue of Liberty more rein before claiming the lead over Dual Escape in the home straight.
With Charmmebaby and Top Me Up Again storming home down the crown of the track, Liberty Sun was able to grip on for an emphatic win in the feature sprint on the program.
La Jolie Fille attracted plenty of support at value prices and the Paul Perry trained mare was able to arrest the lead from Big Surprise down the home running to land the Fastplast Building Supplies Hastings Cup over Chase My Crown and Prima Stella.
Miss Laquetta was backed into firm favouritism for the opening event following an impressive Scone debut but was no match for the early speed of Thunder Rose.
The Rod Bailey trained mare was taken straight to the lead by Darryl McLellan and dictated terms before scoring by two lengths over Miss Laquetta, who made up good ground, with In Hot Water running a creditable third after missing the start.
Olympic Time led throughout to claim the second race while Freddie Eddie was positioned on the pace by Amelia Denby before the Grant Marshall trained gelding scored in the following event over Faatinaat and All a Lady.
The performance of Pandora Blue was full of merit in the Benchmark 66 Handicap after the Kristen Buchanan trained mare was challenged for the majority of the journey by Endless River before breaking clear to score an impressive victory.
The final event resulted in success to Street Power with Ashley Morgan having no hesitation in allowing the Brett Cavanough trained gelding to stride clear before running his rivals ragged to score by around two lengths.
Democracy Manifest was responsible for an outstanding performance after settling near the tail of the field and making up enormous amounts of ground to claim second place while Imatruestar had trouble in gaining clear galloping room down the home running before running third.
Racing was conducted under fine skies and empty grandstands with the good four track racing well despite providing some advantage to horses travelling on the speed.
The club is greatly appreciative of their continued association with Carlton and United Breweries for the cup carnival and acknowledge the support provided Birdon Group, De Bortoli Wines, Fastplast Building Supplies, Flower Hotels, John Oxley Motors, Tabcorp and JR Richards and Sons.
Racing continues with an evenly balanced program scheduled for Sunday 24th October with the club hopeful of crowds being able to attend following a relaxation of Covid-19 regulations following the achievement of vaccination benchmarks.
Review
Race 1 – JR RICHARDS & SONS F&M MAIDEN PLATE (1200 M)
Miss Laquetta was the firm elect for the opening event following an impressive debut performance at Scone with Thunder Rose having plenty of support while So Sassy and Loniesha were drifters in the market.
After drawing wide, Darryl McLellan took Thunder Rose around Loniesha and Zelberg to dart the daughter of Hampton Court to a clear lead while Miss Laquetta began fairly before tracking a wide path in the centre of the field.
Thunder Rose bounded to a five-length lead down the side and still had a solid break down the home running before withstanding the finishing effort of Miss Laquetta down the outside to score by two lengths.
In Hot Water began awkwardly and finished strongly over the concluding stages to claim third while Loneisha and So Sassy wilted late after travelling on the pace.
Race 2 – TAB.COM.AU CG&E MAIDEN PLATE (1200 M)
Aspen Chase was sensationally backed for the event and was equal favourite with Olympic Time when the field was released with the weight of money causing Klopp and Devil’s Inn to drift noticeably while Evocator was a firm third elect.
Lee Magorrian had no hesitation in allowing Olympic Time to stride clear from the barriers over Rinnero, Spectacular Slew and Devil’s Inn with Klopp handily positioned.
Aspen Chase travelled in the centre of the pack with Evocator while Curioso showed no gate speed and was a conspicuous last on settling.
Olympic Time was able to break clear of the pack in the home straight and the Claire Lever trained gelding scored by just under two lengths from Devil’s Inn with Evocator and Curioso making up many lengths down the outside to fill the minor placings.
No Respect worked to the line well while Aspen Chase ran even race without threatening danger and Klopp will derive a great deal of benefit by the outing.
Race 3 – JOHN OXLEY MOTORS CLASS 2 HCP (1000 M)
Black Jacamar was resuming from a break and attracted the majority of support to firm into a clear favourite over Taquila Cabos, who was inclined to drift in betting, with Faatinaat given a chance and Ruby Factor specked at longer odds.
Black Jacamar drove to the early lead from Outreach Belle with Freddie Eddie and Bay of Bengal challenging for the front while Taquila Cabos settled near the tail of the field in front of Faatinaat.
Freddie Eddie challenged Black Jacamar for most of the journey with Amelia Denby driving the son of Carrara to a clear lead before withstanding the finishing burst of Faatinaat to score by a decisive margin.
The effort of Faatinaat was strong after the Glen Milligan trained mare came from a long way back and finished powerfully while Black Jacamar yielded ground over the concluding stages and Taquila Cabos failed to make any meaningful ground down the home running.
Race 4 – FLOWER HOTELS BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1100 M)
Pandora Blue was the dominant elect with punters prepared to back the horse into red figures with a late move for Standing Bear forcing Dreaming of Gold to ease.
Pandora Blue obtained the early lead before being challenged by Endless River with Standing Bear handily positioned on the outside of Gold Rhapsody with Salad Dodger travelling in the centre of the field.
Koby Jennings nursed Pandora Blue in the lead approaching the home turn and was able to repel the challenge of Endless River before kicking clear to score a comprehensive victory.
Standing Bear covered plenty of additional ground and worked home well to cut Endless River out of second prize while Raay of Dreams made up many lengths in the run to the post.
Race 5 – BIRDON GROUP SPRINT (1200 M)
Liberty Sun was the solidly supported favourite for the feature sprint over Nicci Trix with Jailbreak on the third line of betting in front of Safado and Snowzone.
Dual Escape was ridden for urgency from an inside barrier from Nicci Trix and Austeja before Liberty Son was allowed more leather and challenged the leaders down the side of the track while Top Me Up Again and Charmmebaby whipped the field in.
Liberty Sun dropped the early pacemakers and Louise Day went for home in the straight with the Statue of Liberty gelding able to survive the finishing efforts of Charmmebaby and Top Me Up Again to score a decisive victory.
Jailbreak finished just behind the placegetters in front of Safado, who had a chequered passage down the running, while Nicci Trix yielded ground in the straight.
Race 6 – FASTPLAST BUILDING SUPPLIES HASTINGS CUP (1500 M)
Big Surprise was the relatively firm favourite over Magic Charlee and Prima Stella with Chase My Crown attracting some support and a long price move for La Jolie Fille resulting in the Paul Perry trained mare shortening some ten points.
Stylish Pattern and Mister Smartee contested the early lead with Ash Morgan content to position Big Surprise into third slot on the inside of Northern Knight while La Jolie Fille eased out of the early speed battle and travelled on the outside of Prima Stella.
Mister Smartee and Stylish Pattern continued to attack for the lead before being attacked by Prima Stella with Big Surprise angling back towards the rails while La Jolie Fille began her run and Mister Smartee made ground around the outside with Chase My Crown.
Mister Smartee was challenged in the straight by Big Surprise, but the pair were no match for the effort of La Jolie Fee with Mikayla Weir taking the daughter of Super One to the lead before withstanding the finishing efforts of Chase My Grown and Magic Stella to score a strong win.
Magic Charlee was doing his best work over the later stages of the event and made up good ground in front of the recent Hopkins Livermore Cup winner, Prima Stella, with Northern Knight battling on well.
Race 7 – CARLTON DRY PORT MACQUARIE CUP (2000 M)
The Chris Waller trained runners dominated betting activities for the cup with Achiever holding a narrow advantage over Our Intrigue with late support for Fast Talking moving the Kody Nestor trained gelding into a clear third pick over Unamerican with Fantastic Baby attracting some support after saluting in the prelude a fortnight ago.
Achiever began well and Lee Magorian set the cup tempo by leading over Holburt with Battle Guardian making a midrace move towards the lead while Unamerican settled perfectly just off the pace.
Fantastic Baby was travelling in the middle of the field in front of Fast Talking with Grant Buckley settling Our Intrigue behind the main body of the field before commencing a move down the side of the track.
Achiever swung the home bend in the lead from Battle Guardian, who was immediately under pressure, with Unamerican rolling off the fence and commencing a move while Our Intrigue, Fantastic Baby and Nemingah made ground down the crown of the track.
Achiever was claimed in the shadows of the post by Our Intrigue and was able to repel the late challenge of Nemingah to take out the cup by a narrow margin with Achiever holding on for third in front of Unamerican.
Fantastic Baby ran a terrific race to finish just behind the placegetters with Fast Talking far from disgraced while Battle Guardian showed speed before wilting in the later stages of the event.
Race 8 – DE BORTOLI WINES COUNTRY MAGIC CLASS 1 HCP (1200 M)
Democracy Manifest had sustained support resulting in the Kody Nestor trained gelding being sent to the barrier as favourite over Foxstorm, who eased a point, with Imatruestar a firm third elect over Offyarocatwo.
Ash Morgan drove Street Power to the early lead from Offyarocatwo with Foxstorm handily positioned on the speed around Just Ziggy.
Imatruestar travelled in the middle of the pack on the outside of Zouly while Democracy Manifest showed no early gate speed and dropped back to near the rear of the field.
Street Power extended his lead approaching the home bend and raced clear from Offyarocatwo with Imatruestar trying to find clear galloping room and having a bumping duel with Foxstorm in the process.
Nicci Knee Knack hooked to the centre of the track with Markwell Dreamer and Democracy Manifest finishing powerfully down the extreme outside section of the home straight.
Despite Democracy Manifest making up many lengths down the outside, Street Power had too big a break and ran his rivals ragged to score with Imatruestar grabbing third in front of Markwell Dreamer while Foxstorm and Offyarocatwo finished sixth and eighth positions respectively.
Horses to follow:
Miss Laquetta, Curioso, Faatinaat
