CURRIE TURNS ON THE POWER
A track-record performance from Publishing Power and a fourth successive victory to former Victorian gelding Break Time headlined a blazing finish by the Ben Currie stable to yesterday’s Clifford Park meeting.
Currie lifted his Clifford Park season win tally to 48 after closing out the seven-race card with a treble of wins.
Break Time ($1.35 fav) got the party started when he finished hard for Beau Appo to down Allena ($8) by a short neck in the Toowoomba Truck Spares Class 4 Handicap (1000m).
Publishing Power ($1.30 fav) lowered the previous 1200-metre record of Trubia with Skye Bogenhuber guiding the four-year-old to a five-length victory over Marksfield ($9.50) in the Ubet Benchmark 75 Handicap.
Theatric ($3.60 ef ) rounded out the stable’s treble of wins with a two-length victory for jockey Nozi Tomizawa in the Win Local News Class 1 Handicap (1200m).
Earlier, lightly raced Warwick six-year-old Nonchalante lived up to the pre-race confidence of trainer Garry Schwenke when he swept to a popular return victory.
Nonchalante ($4.60 ef ) clocked in for his first victory at start number eight with a strong-finishing effort in the Wimmers Premium Soft Drink Colts, Geldings and Entires Maiden Handicap (1000m).
The Immovable Option gelding arrived for apprentice Michael Murphy at his first start since August to down debutant Kibbit Raheeb ($4.60 ef ) by a short neck.
Nonchalante was bought out of a paddock by Schwenke who prepares him for a large group of family members and friends.
His best previous effort in seven outings was an Ipswich placing in July but Schwenke was bullish about his first-up prospects yesterday.
“He’s been showing us a lot, but he’s just needed race experience to produce his best,” Schwenke said.
“I thought he was close to a good thing today.”
Wide-travelling mare Noor Dropper ($3.80) added to her good career strike rate with a sizzling victory in the Wholesale Horsewear House Benchmark 65 Handicap (870m) for trainer Kevin Kemp.
The six-year-old arrived in the final bounds from well back on straightening for apprentice Hannah English to edge out Life’s Like That ($6) by a short head.
English labelled Noor Dropper one of the toughest horses she has ridden.
“She gives you the feel they are going too fast for her and she’s off the bit,” English said.
“But she really finds something at the finish.
“She’s one of the toughest horses I’ve ridden and that was a great effort today dropping back from 1100 to to 870 metres.”