After the Last

THE WIN

TOOWOOMBA four-yearold BERGERAC helped erase some of Steve Tregea’s disappointment at losing carnival performer Nicannova to injury when he underlined his potential with a classy victory in the Benchmark 75.

THE TRAINER

BEN CURRIE’S feature efforts speak for themselves but on a day when they came from everywhere, Toowoomba trainers shone on their own dig with LINDSAY HATCH, TONY SEARS and STEVE TREGEA all amongst the winners on Clifford Park’s show-piece day.

THE RIDER

JIMMY BYRNE rarely misses out anywhere but he added to his high Clifford Park strike rate with wins aboard Shamurt and Hang.

But some times top rides don’t always get the reward they deserve. KENJI YOSHIDA produced a 10 out of 10 effort on promising Hold On for trainer Paul Nolan Jnr in the Class 3 Plate, only to be denied in the final bounds.

FROM THE STAND

Race 1: Punters and the market had the race as a two horse war; the early money was on Cuddle Me Tight at 2.20 into 2.0, then the late money came for the winner Shamurt to give the bookies a break square race.

Race 2: There was some small specking for Mustarrid at 15.0. Great Glen and Hinchinstyle were both easy to lay. There was one good cash bet of $2000 on Hinchinstyle at 4.40. The winner Mobile at 16.00 was a good result for bookies

Race 3: Here they backed Rosie Posie with some good bets taken at 10.00. Hold On was backed each way at 6.00. The winner Another Dollar was a drifter on the fluctuations but was well supported on track with a phone bet of $2000 at 3.50. With the placings this was bad result for bookies.

Race 4: The money came early for Give Us A Cuddle who was backed from 5.00 into 4.40. Benico’s Prince saw each way bets at 14.00. The winner Red Prince was backed in early morning markets and the cash followed on course to start the clear favorite at 4.00. Another bad result for bookies.

Race 5: With the early scratching of Mr. Marbellouz this made Publishing Power favourite elect. Publishing Power was hard to lay and bookies were 3.00 at jump time. Our Beebee was the first horse backed at 5.00 and then some good bets were taken each way for Just Orm at 12.00.

The winner Rhyme Nor Rhythm at 16.00 put bookies back in the game.

Race 6. Here there was good specking at odds for River Boy and Naked. Zofonic Dancer was a drifting favourite 2.00 to 2.80 and hard to lay. The winner Hang was the most supported runner and the Currie army stepped in taking the 3.00 and started clear favorite at 2.40.

Race 7: Doubt Defying was heavily backed from 4.00 into 2.80 to start clear favorite.

There were two bets of $2000 taken at 3.20. Exoteric was specked at 7.0. Honey Toast was very well supported each way at 5.00. Morendi at 10.00 caught Honey Toast on the line and saved the bookies some big payouts and robbed Ben Currie of the feature double.

Race 8: Bookies got to write lots of tickets in the Weetwood and all runners had supporters.

Jumbo Prince was backed at 19.00 and there were good bets taken on Ruettiger at 4.00. The winner Amanaat was backed off course and started favorite at 3.20 on the QOP and the big money did not come back to the track and some bookies were betting 3.50 at the jump. Some bookies won and some lost on the race.

Race 9: In the get-out stakes punters backed the winner Bergerac from 3.30 into 2.80 to start clear favourite.

With runner-up Real Ego backed from 10.00 into 7.00 to give the bookies a nasty result to finish the day on.

Overall local bookies lost and the southern event bookies came out small winners.