Maher’s pair shape as big Slipper hopes

TRAINER Ciaron Maher’s patient wait for his first $3.5 million Golden Slipper runners could provide the ultimate reward when Dubious and Loving Gaby contest the big race at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Maher maintains there is nothing between his two youngsters and rates both as legitimate chances in the most open Golden Sipper in years.

“Dubious is more rounded, more experienced, but ‘Gaby’ has more scope,’’ Maher said.

“They galloped together [Warwick Farm, Tuesday morning] in testing conditions and they seemed to handle it well. They have both drawn a little awkward but with a bit of luck in running, I think they will both be competitive.’’

Loving Gaby has drawn barrier 15 and is a rated a $15 chance, while Dubious is alongside his stablemate in gate 16 but is out to $26. Cosmic Force remains Golden Slipper favourite at $5.

Dubious has solid formlines, winning twice in four starts including the Breeders Plate at the start of the season, finishing runner-up in the Magic Millions and third to Yes Yes Yes in the Todman Stakes.

“Everything we have done with Dubious since he won the Breeders Plate has been based around this race,’’ said Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace.

“We’ve put the blinkers on him for the Golden Slipper and he’s in great shape. I’m rapt in him. His run in the Todman Stakes was super, he didn’t get the momentum going into the race but I thought he finished it off well.’’

Loving Gaby has only been to the races twice for a debut win in the Chairman’s Stakes and a luckless sixth in the Blue Diamond Stakes.

“She is a filly with the X-factor,’’ Maher said.

“We decided against giving her a lead-up run into the Slipper because she is a filly in her first campaign. The Golden Slipper is a high-pressure race and we wanted her here in top condition.

“She is a big, strong filly, she is still a bit raw but very good and I just want her to have an uninterrupted run.

“This is a tough race. Godolphin has a lot of chances, the Blue Diamond form is holding up. Yes Yes Yes was good last start and Free of Debt has done nothing wrong.’’ SANDY Bay’s Sonia Martyn and Keghan Booth took the honours in the prestigious Bowls Tasmania South’s women’s and men’s open singles championships which ended at Rosny Park on Sunday.

The women’s open semifinals were held in the morning with Martyn defeating New Norfolk’s Lauren Banks by 13 shots and New Norfolk’s Lyn Triffitt easily beating Howrah’s Rosie Geeves by 21 shots.

In the grand final, Martyn had a good start and led by seven shots after 10 ends before Triffitt bounced back picking up eight shots in three ends to hit the lead. Martyn was up to the task and scored nine shots over the next three ends to get to within three shots of the title. Triffitt won the next two ends but Martyn held on to win by eight shots.

In the men’s open semifinals, Booth defeated Glenorchy Rodman’s Luke Turner by 10 shots and Brighton’s Grant Wakefield beat Sandy Bay’s Shane Peck by eight shots. In the grand final Booth started well winning four of the first five ends to open up an eight-shot lead. Wakefield closed to within two shots but that was as close as he got. Booth powered away only dropping two more ends, eventually winning by 12 shots. THE women’s and men’s B Grade singles championships were also finalised at Rosny Park on Sunday. In the women’s semis, Glenorchy City’s Yvonne Woodward beat North Hobart’s Helen Ducker by 12 shots and Shirley Calvert of Howrah beat Claremont’s Wendy Gray by six.

Woodward continued with her red-hot form after she recently won the Bowls Tasmania South’s B grade champion of champions singles championship to also take out the Bowls Tasmania South B grade singles championship. In the grand final, Woodward started slowly and trailed Calvert by five shots after seven ends. However, Woodward rallied to level the scores after 11 ends then strung together six winning ends in a row to jump out to a 12-shot lead which was the final winning margin.

In men’s semis, Howrah’s Wally Verth had a tough battle with New Norfolk’s Rodney Carmichael eventually winning by three shots and Glenorchy Rodman’s Damien Sutton defeated last year’s winner, Franklin’s Brad Johns by three shots. In the grand final, Sutton started well to race to a five-shot lead after four ends but Verth settled and hit the lead after 10 ends and was never headed winning easily by 10 shots.