ANCHOR’S AWAY IN MAGIC MILLIONS CUP QUALIFIER
HORSE RACING SKY Racing North Queensland form expert Michael Charge saw something in Green Anchor at Cluden Park on Saturday afternoon that no one else could.
And Charge says he has seen it in the horse for a long while.
The former Townsville Turf Club CEO, now picking a winner or two for punters as a form expert, tipped the Janel Ryan-trained Green Anchor in Saturday’s Magic Millions Country Cup Qualifier at the huge odds of $101.
The bay gelding – from gate 15 and with a late jockey change – had not won since March 2016 but jumped at odds of $41, after coming in from $101, to make Charge look like an absolute genius. It recorded a sparkling win in front of the Samantha Molinotrained Pinyarda in the $30,000 race.
“He is a horse that has always had ability and has an outstanding record at the track,” Charge said. “I followed him last start and I eventually went with my gut.
“I could not believe it, he was $101 at about 10 minutes before the race and I thought ‘this is ridiculous’.
“Hats off to Janel, I know she had a lot of trouble with the horse and he did not take the step up last preparation but he has now.”
Cairns-based hoop Nor Yadi gained the ride of Green Anchor at the last minute as Frank Edwards was ruled overweight and fined $100 for his troubles by stewards.
Green Anchor had run fifth and eighth in his two starts this year before Saturday, beaten both times by the Roy Chillemi-trained Concluder, but the Ryan stable persisted.
“We were confident he would run a good race but I was not sure if he would win,” Ryan said.
“The horse has had plenty of troubles with his feet but he has come back well from that.”
Pinyarda showed enough to suggest he could join stable star Tyzone for a Southeast Queensland mission next year with a nice second in the Country Cup Qualifier.
Earlier in the day, the Trevor Rowe-trained Minnie Street broke through in the Benchmark 65 Handicap (1000m) with Cairns hoop Amanda Thomson on board.