Gun gelding rolls favourite
WHEN harness-thoroughbred trainer Adrian Duggan was searching for a horse on which his son Jacob could learn to ride he settled on a thoroughbred suitably named Under His Eye.
Little did he know that the gelding would not only be an ideal partner for his son but a talented sprinter on the racetrack.
At Elwick last Sunday, Under His Eye led his rivals a merry chase to take out a benchmark 62 handicap over 1200 metres defeating the odds-on favourite Nina Carmella.
“When we bought this horse, it was just to help Jacob learn to ride and it developed into a good partnership,” the trainer said after the race.
“Jacob does all the work with this horse so much of the credit goes to him.”
Jacob Duggan had his eye on becoming a jockey but as his family has been heavily involved in harness racing the youngster has followed in those footsteps and has become one of the most promising reinsmen in the state.
Under His Eye is no world beater but the former Victorian galloper has proven to be a good money spinner for the family.
The son of magnus arrived at Duggan’s Brighton stables a maiden after 14 starts with three trainers, but he has managed two wins and as many minor placings from 14 starts in his adopted state.
“The horse is an absolute ripper because he has served as a great, good-natured pony for Jacob and has paid his way as a racehorse.”
AFTER winning the Tasmanian jockeys’ premiership in only her second season, Codi Jordan has treated herself to a snowboarding holiday in New Zealand.
Jordan finished the season with 61 wins to emulate the feats of Bev Buckingham, Craig Newitt and Bruce McDonald who also won the title as apprentices. But like Buckingham, Jordan also achieved the feat in only her second season of riding.
Scott Brunton won his eighth consecutive trainer’s premiership in his own right, and he also partnered with his father David Brunton to win the five previous titles to give Scott 13 titles to match that of Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Goggin. Scott was almost ineligible to win last season’s title as he had an appeal pending on a positive swab case that took over 400 days to be resolved.
His mare Kuroset tested positive to arsenic that was proved to be from the mare chewing treated pine posts on his Seven Mile Beach training complex that contained CCA (chrome, copper, and arsenic).
It was his fifth positive case to the substance and circumstances, with previous offences resulting in hefty fines. Stewards this time handed down a three-month suspension, but upon appeal Brunton’s objection to the penalty was dismissed but the Tasmanian Racing Appeals Board suspended the sentence on the condition he does not reoffend for the next two years and added a $3000 fine.
Under the Tasmanian rules, any licensed person who is suspended for two months or more is deemed ineligible to win any industry awards in that season. As the penalty was wholly suspended, Brunton remained eligible to win last season’s premiership.
Brunton ended the season with 74 winners that included a treble at Elwick last Sunday (Sunset Gun, Donna’s Day, Sir Simon) to make last season’s tally his third highest.