Late challenge fails to remove Polish
ROSS Fransen and Cut N Polish just held on.
The Cairns-based trainer and Cut N Polish took out the horse section of the 2017 Magic Millions FNQ Up and Coming Stayers Series after surviving a late challenge from the powerful John Manzelmann stable.
Cut N Polish led the popular series with six points before the final event at Cairns on Tuesday over 1900m and although they finished outside the placings, they had done enough.
Manzelmann trained a quinella in the final race, Awesome Sight and Oh Yeah, but it could only secure him a second-place finish, alongside fellow Far North horses Short Term, Pink Stiletto and Standford.
Cut N Polish’s connections receive $4000 from Magic Millions after winning the series.
“It would have been nice to run a place or win the final race of the series but overall it is great,” Fransen said. “The series is a great idea. “There is not a lot of distance races up here and this lets you build into it and gives you a chance to win one of the races.”
Fransen also finished second on the trainers’ tally with Manzelmann a clear winner after picking up eight points over the final two legs of the series.
Manzelmann received $2000 from Magic Millions while Cairns hoop Amanda Thomson took out the jockey category and was handed a Cairns Jockey Club whip and Magic Millions vest.
“A big thank you to all the participating clubs that have generously added value to their allocated race prizemoney, where, in most rounds, the horses raced for an equivalent of and often greater prizemoney than provincial TAB meetings,” series organiser Rob Koch said.
“This year from all indicators it has shown to be the most popular thus far with more horses, trainers and jockeys earning points throughout the series.”
Earlier in the day, Stephen Wilson gave it his best shot to run down Emily Cass in the Cairns Jockey Club’s premiership race but fell just short.
The Irish 30-year-old booted home three winners, a pair of seconds and two thirds from his seven rides at Cannon Park on Tuesday.
Wilson needed five winners to draw level with Cass for the 2016-17 racing season.
Cairns trainer Trevor Rowe had already secured the trainers’ premiership.