Duo’s double delight
TRAINER Graeme McCulloch and apprentice Teagan Voorham combined to register a double at the Devonport meeting on Sunday.
Voorham partnered Kool Kash to a tough, all-the-way win in a strong benchmark 84 handicap over 1650m and it was almost a replica effort when Into the Night led throughout to score narrowly in a benchmark 58 over the same distance.
Kool Kash had to repel several challengers at different times in the race to register his third win from his past four starts, prompting Voorham to make some glowing remarks about his character.
“He would be among the toughest horses I’ve ridden, that’s for sure,” Voorham said.
“They came at him midrace and he just refused to let them past and in the home straight he just laid his ears back and kept finding over the final 100 metres.”
McCulloch also was full of praise for the gelded son of Rock of Gibraltar.
“Kool Kash is definitely not the best horse I’ve had in my stable but I don’t reckon I’ve had one tougher,” McCulloch said. “Two preps back he didn’t do so well and I thought that might have been his last hurrah, but I brought him back in and he did well winning a couple and finished no further back than fourth from 11 starts.
“I almost wasn’t going to bring him back in this time but I’m so glad I did because he’s probably done better this prep than in any other.”
Into The Night also showed courage after being clearly headed in the straight.
“I won’t say Into the Night is as tough as Kool Kash yet but he is similar in character.
“He’s not a 100 per cent sound horse, but he’s been better than he was last preparation and that’s why he has been more consistent.”
Voorham finished second to Chris Graham on the apprentices’ premiership table last season to establish herself as one of the state’s leading riders.
But with Breaana Smith improving all the time, Chantal Willis back in the saddle and with the addition of Victorian Alex Patis to a more permanent residence status, this season’s leading apprentice rider title will be keenly contested. TRAINER Michael Trinder is having second thoughts about how far his stable newcomer Mississippi Grind might go after another outstanding performance in Devonport last Sunday.
Mississippi Grind made it three wins in succession when she careered away from her rivals to win a benchmark 64 handicap over 1880m.
“There is an open handicap over 1880m in Devonport in a fortnight and I might target that,” Trinder said.