WHAT THEY SAID AT ATHERTON TURF CLUB
Race 1 — Maiden Plate (1000m) Kalelarga for trainer Sharlee D’Avila and jockey Mark Elliott “It was a good little run in my first ride on the horse,” Elliott said. “I had been booked a few weeks ago to ride the horse and she seemed to be knocking on the door. “Today was her day. “She is trained at this track and that is a huge advantage rather than travelling to Townsville as she did last start.” Race 2 - Class 3 Plate (1000m) Power Of Divas for trainer Sharlee D’Avila and jockey Wanderson D’Avila “I thought the 1000m might be a little short but the home track advantage helps,” Sharlee said. “She has been going all right and working the house down. “She is a really nice little mare. “I have kept her fresh for this race and the way she went says it all really.” Race 3 - Class B Handicap (1200m) Narda Shar for trainer Sharlee D’Avila and jockey Pietro Romeo “He has his own little quirks and he is a free running type of horse and if you try and restrain him too much, he does not really run on,” Romeo said. “He does not have a great deal of a turn of foot so you need to find a happy medium where he is travelling, thinking that he is going better than what he is. “He responds to my style of riding well.” Race 4 — Benchmark 69 Handicap (1400m) Buxton for trainer Lisa Donovan and jockey Pietro Romeo (below) “They do an excellent job here at the Atherton Turf Club and it is great to train a winner at home,” Donovan said. “Unfortunately, the owners could not be here today but Pietro did a wonderful job on the horse.” Race 5 — Benchmark 55 Handicap (1800m) Agility for trainer Rodney Miller and Jockey Masayuki Abe “The other day at Cairns he pulled hard so at the 1800m today, we wanted him to ball along in front,” Miller said. “He is 100 per cent fit. “The horse has a lot of ability but we haven’t had much luck with him. “He has luck once since I’ve had him and he ran second the other day with no luck at all.”