A Night for Doubles at Bunbury
It was a race to race double for Shane Quadrio, with his runners Cheddar Is Better and Silver Star Lombo taking out the first two races on the card at Bunbury on Friday night.
Continuing a fruitful week for the Quadrio family, Cheddar Is Better claimed the three-year-old westbred race in the first on the card, breaking his bridesmaid status from his last three starts. Driven by Donald Harper, the short-priced favourite surrendered the lead early, but with the leader shifting out, he took the rails run in the home straight and went on to salute the judge with a margin of 1m in a mile rate of 2:01:4 over the 2100m.
After claiming her maiden win on Monday, Silver Star Lombo was quick to make it two in a row, recording her second win in just four days. Trained by Quadrio, the three-year-old double westbred filly started from barrier one and handed up the leave to the favourite, Padditude, who she went on to run down in the home straight, winning by a short half head in 1:59:5. The win gave Donald Harper an early double on the card
Continuing the double’s theme, Sonia Zucchiatti and Mitchell Miller teamed up to take out the next two races on the card, races three and four, with the third going the way of the short priced favourite American Bullitt. In a mile rate of 1:58:0, the three-year-old gelding was able to lead all the way from barrier one, and with a last half of 56.7 seconds, Miller managed to hold off the horse on his back, winning by 2.5m in the 1609 sprint trip.
Zucchiatti and Miller didn’t have time to celebrate their first win, with a quick back up in to race four, the duo took out the first leg of the main quaddie with Beejays Star. After settling three back on the pegs from barrier four, Miller made full use of the sprint lane, with the $13 shot winning by 5.9m in 1:59:7.
Trainer/Driver Ash Markham was runner up in races three and four, but his runner Magic Matteo did break in running and found himself settled a couple of metres off the last runner, but with 600m to go, Markham made his run three-wide, flashing home for second after taking the longest way home, with the gelding five wide at the top of the straight, going down in the fourth by just 5.9m. Although he has been stood down for six days and sent back to complete a satisfactory trial, there is no doubt that Magic Matteo will be in the winners’ circle again shortly.
Joey James managed to get to the lead from barrier seven in race five, leading all the way to win for trainer Brad Lynn and driver Mark Johnson. Winning comfortably in 1:59:8, the four-year-old recorded his third victory this season and with a win next to his name just two starts ago, paid a generous $10 for punters.
The small field of seven were single file for a large part of the sixth, but at the bell, Hayden Charles put Sweet Sassymolassy in the breeze, with the consistent mare going on to win easily for Bunbury local, Vanessa Brockman. In a mile rate of 2:00:4 the $1.14 favourite sailed away to win by 13.5m over the 2100m journey.
With just the seven races on the card, it was an early birthday present for Shane young, with Alfa Prince claiming the last for the part owner/driver and trainer. Starting off the 30m handicap in the standing start, he stepped faultlessly and settled four back on the pegs throughout, pulling off the pegs with a lap to go and going on to win by 5.5m in 2:04:9 in the 2503m stating trip.
Ashleigh Paikos