Race debut with family connection
WHEN a baby by Golden Archer from Lassila came up at the 2019 Capricornia Yearling Sale, Tablelands trainer Sharlee D’Avila would buy the horse on one condition.
Husband and leading north Queensland jockey Wanderson D’Avila liked the look of the youngster and had to talk Sharlee into making the purchase. Sharlee would only be convinced if they could name the two-year-old “Soneymar Star”, incorporating their two sons’ names, Neymar and Sonny Jack.
The D’Avila team send the baby out for her debut effort at Cannon Park this afternoon in what will be a special moment for the long-time FNQ racing family.
“We were not even supposed to be buying a horse and Wanderson found this little fella and I really liked him,” Sharlee recalled.
“I told Wanderson that the only way we would get him was if we could call him “Soneymar Star” after our two boys, the two kids. He said “yeah, righto” and we have gone from there.”
The younger of the two D’Avila boys, Neymar, is named after the Brazilian footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team.
Soneymar Star has won two recent trials in comfortable fashion and Sharlee says the gelding is showing plenty of ability at trackwork, but the test will come on race day conditions for the first time today.
“He is doing everything right, we have taken our time with him, we are really excited about him,” Sharlee said.
“We have not pushed him at all and this first start will be a nice guide of where we can take him.
“The 950m may be a little short for him as he is a more 1200-1400m horse as he gets a bit older.
“The horse needs to start his career somewhere and it will be perfect this week.”
If the name Soneymar Star had not been available, Sharlee said they would have considered naming the two-year-old “The Boss” for his pig-headed nature around the stable.
Leading Tablelands trainer Roy Chillemi is also set to debut two horses today in the opener, the QTIS Two-YearsOld Maiden Handicap (950m).
Meanwhile, a qualifier for Racing Queensland’s QTIS Jewel race day will be run at Cairns this afternoon, the $19,000 Three-Years-Old Plate (1250m).
The $300,000 QTIS Jewel 3YO Final will be run over 1200 metres at the Gold Coast on March 14.
After the heavy rain over the last week, Cannon Park was yesterday rated a Soft 6.