Vol Vallee romp no surprise to trainer
MOST punters didn’t see Vol Vallee coming but trainer David Murphy sure did.
The four-year-old mare was a $16 chance going into the Benchmark 0-65 Handicap (900m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday but she cruised behind leader Tony Gollan’s $3 favourite Jest Excel before hitting the line hard to win the third race of her career.
“I thought she would be the favourite,” Brisbanebased Murphy said of Vol Vallee, who was ridden by Rhiannon Payne.
“I had four runners over the weekend and thought she was my best chance.
“Her first run was good. She got to the front and just ran out of steam on a heavy track. All my mates are happy, anyway.
“That horse pretty fast.
“Rhiannon rode the horse of Tony’s is beautifully. I told her to get up behind the horse of Gollan’s and attack as soon as you can because it will fade.
“She was strong at the finish, too.”
Murphy trained Vol Vallee’s dam Fly To Win for most of her career, winning four races including a $100,000 Fillies and Mares Handicap (1350m) at Doomben in 2010.
Murphy said Fly To Win was slow to mature before finding success and he believes her daughter Vol Vallee is no different.
“She likes to relax behind the pace and has a good finish,” Murphy said.
“Her turn of foot is terrific and you just have to use it the right way.”
Murphy said Vol Vallee would continue going through her grades and predicted her to be a potential city runner.
Jockey Shannon Doyle has been suspended for nine days after an incident while riding Crystal Ball, who finished third in the opening race.
Doyle was charged with careless riding after his gelding shifted to the inside, checking Spicers Peak.
The interference in turn affected the Helen Pagetrained Hasten Slowly who suffered lacerations after being sent into the running rails as a result of the collisions.