Port Macquarie Review – Friday 24 January 2025
In a finish befitting such a prestigious race, Invasive Dreams was able sneak along the rails and claim a decisive victory in the $65,000 Port Panters Queen of the North at Port Macquarie on Friday.
Lauren Van Tijn positioned the daughter of Invader near the rear of the field in the early stages of the race before using the cut away rail in the home straight to probe along the fence and commence a run.
Dreams of Thunder set the early tempo and maintained a two-length margin over Cassia Lane and Whispering Muriel with Teigan Worsnop positioning Floss’s One perfectly in fourth position before making her move approaching the final turn.
Floss’s One looked set to claim victory in the home straight as the Glen Milligan trained mare loomed ominously before Invasive Dreams finished powerfully close to the fence as the two combatants set down for an epic finish.
With the pair wide apart in the drive towards the winning post and Artiebett finishing powerfully down the outside, it was Invasive Dreams who was posted as the winner over Floss’s One by a nose margin.
Victory was sweet for Kristen Buchanan as the Wyong trainer has been able to extract the best from the consistent bay mare and now has an unblemished record since her stable relocation some six months ago.
The Queen of the North success takes Invasive Dreams prizemoney tally to around $125,000 with an imposing record of four wins and six placings from fifteen outings with a promising future assured.
It also provided Lauren Van Tijn with her first feature win and continues the rise through the ranks for the promising apprentice since her first winner in July last year at her first ever ride when steering Cupid’s Kiss down the outside to score at Muswellbrook.
In a short period of time Lauren has ridden ten winners on a variety of tracks including Coffs Harbour, Bowraville, Taree together with multiple wins at Muswellbrook and now a club feature at Port.
Floss’s One certainly lost no admirers with a solid display to be narrowly defeated while the effort of Artiebett was outstanding after settling near the rear of the field before making up many lengths over the concluding stages to be defeated by under a length.
It wasn’t all bad news for the Milligan and Worsnop combination as the pair combined to take out the opening event on the program with Craig’s One at the gelding’s third official start.
The son of Super One was handily positioned before hooking to the centre of the home straight and accounting for Daulton and Every Last Penny by around a length margin.
The Eyes Have It came to the track as a prohibitive favourite in the Maiden Plate but had to settle for another placing as Jamacri set the speed and raced clear for a comprehensive victory by over four lengths.
The Pride of Dubai mare was the first starter entered at the circuit from the Bjorn Baker stable with the prominent metropolitan trainer keen to return following his initial success and presented Anna Roper with a riding career milestone of 150 career wins.
The star apprentice has been rewarded for hard work and natural ability with twelve wins since early January and this has included a Rosehill victory last week with her relish for the Port circuit on display after a recent riding four peat.
Formal broke his maiden status with a gritty performance in the third event after the Nathan Doyle trained gelding was able to account for the early lead established by Viaconi and withstand the late effort of Chilli Crab to claim a narrow win.
Despite missing out with The Eyes Have It earlier in the day, Ash Morgan struck a rising double on Dark Vador before lifting Pony Soprano to a gutsy win in the following event for popular local mentor, Robert Agnew.
With the Evergreen Turf Country Championship series set to commence at the Port track next month, many gallopers on the day were staking claims in this prestigious race and none were more impressive than Bodhi Boy after the gelding continued his unblemished record in the sixth race on the card.
The son of So You Think continued the wonderful training journey being enjoyed by Lyndall Olsen when her bay gelding was taken to the lead by Ben Looker before shaking off the challenge of Snow Falcon and bounding clear to score an outstanding victory.
Olsen has recently returned a fifteen-year break from the training ranks and the popular Taree mentor has a live chance in the rich country series with Bodhi Boy while the efforts of Laizabout and King Larry in the latter stages of the event provides great confidence for the Wayne Wilkes stable as the district qualifier approaches.
With the program littered with close finishes throughout the day, Sumo Fish and Super Impressive hit the line in unison with the judge failing to separate the combatants in the final event.
Super Impressive dictated terms to suit for the majority of the race and looked the winner down the home straight before the late challenge by Sumo Fish resulted in a dead heat and capped off an exciting afternoon of racing.
The Port Macquarie Race Club is delighted to continue a wonderful association with Port Macquarie Panthers in the staging of one of the feature meetings on the racing calendar and thank all associated with this fine club for their support.
Located in the heart of beautiful Port Macquarie and overlooking the Hastings River, the club strives to deliver a customer centric experience through quality food, free entertainment, live shows, promotions and activity propositions.
With the reconstruction of the course proper receiving rave reviews from all racing participants, particularly following the successful transfer of a recent meeting from Taree, the Port Macquarie Race Club is honoured to stage the $150,000 Evergreen Turf Mid North Coast Country Championships series opener, returning to the circuit for the first time since 2019.
The prestigious event will be conducted on Sunday 16th February with the first two qualifiers progressing to the final at Randwick in April.
Following the successful introduction for Port Cup Day last October, there will be a lawn party catering for the younger patrons and all steps are being taken to showcase the Championship card for the racing enthusiasts together will the local economy.
General admission tickets can also be pre-booked or purchased on race day with further information regarding reserved seating and tickets for the Clydesdale Room available by contacting the Port Macquarie Race Club office on 02 6581 1964 or email on admin@portmacquarieraceclub.com.au.
There are plenty of great viewing and seating areas available with refreshment, dining and wagering facilities in full operation throughout the grounds together will the amazing food being served by Char Bar Catering.
