Bennett’s big finale
GREG Bennett is hopeful of a fairytale ending to his training career with four winning chances at Tamworth today.
Bennett concedes this might be his final raceday as a trainer as All Summer Long looks likely to miss a start in the $ 400,000 Country Championships Final ( 1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The gelding ran an unlucky third in the Scone Wild Card on Sunday and is likely to be first emergency for Saturday’s final.
Fortunately for Bennett, he still had Clearly Innocent which stormed to a brilliant Country Championship final win.
Bennett will retire from training this week to take up the position as director of racehorse development with Queensland racing and breeding giant, Aquis Farm.
“I still plan to go to Randwick on Saturday, even if we don’t have a runner, and just enjoy the day.’’
Bennett, who has trained more than 400 winners and prepared quality gallopers like Clearly Innocent, Pro Consul, Oh My Papa and Kaypers, will load up Cool Baby ( race 1), Arabian ( race 6), Sadhika ( race 7) and Taste Of Money ( race 8) for the float trip from Scone to Tamworth.
So can Bennett retire from training with a winner or two at Tamworth today?
“I’d like to think so,’’ he said. “I would say Taste Of Money and Sadhika are probably our best chances.
“Taste Of Money is going great, her second at Tamworth the other day was a very good run.
“Sadhika did everything but win last start, she goes back to the same track in a benchmark 55 so she has to go close.
“Arabian won his maiden really well first up and he hasn’t missed a beat since.
“As for Cool Baby, she hit the line nicely last start for fourth at Scone and two horses from that race have won since, Mull Over at Newcastle and I Can Hear Music at Scone, which is good form for her race.’’