Small fry pays big dividend
MAREEBA trainer Alex Malliff was threatened with a frying pan to the head when wife Kelly found out he dropped $600 on an unseen gelding in Paniagua.
Now he has promised to buy her another two for the job after the Tycoon Ruler gelding stormed the field to win the $30,000 Townsville Guineas at Cluden Park yesterday.
It was a fifth-straight win for the four-year-old and a second consecutive Guineas feature after a win at Mackay a fortnight ago.
While he appeared to be in trouble on the home straight locked in a battle with Chris Attard’s Side Hussle, Townsville jockey Scott Sheargold showed his class in the last 200m to pull away for a onelength win.
It took the gelding’s career winnings past $65,000 from 10 starts. Not bad for a horse that cost twice as much to freight from Toowoomba than he did at auction.
“He is the best $600 I have ever spent,” Malliff said.
“I bid on it on Sunday and the auction went off on Tuesday. No one was interested and I was just lucky. I will take it. I think he has won close to $100,000 in prize money so I will take it every day of the week and twice on Sundays.”
After two Guineas features, Malliff has his sights set on gold. “The Cairns Cup has caught my eye, that is for sure. We would be mad if we didn’t look at it,” he said.
“I think he could be a serious cups horse this year. I am not one to put a horse in the paddock when they are going good. Whether he is ready to take on those battle-hardened stayers I am not sure.”
But there is also a nometro-wins feature in Brisbane around the same time that could be a prime option.
Whether he goes north or south, Sheargold vowed he would be riding shotgun in the truck. “He has got the ability (to run in the cup). He will run the trip in my opinion,” he said.
“It is just a matter of whether it is too soon. This is his second preparation and he is still just a big baby. In 12 months’ time I say bring it on, but whatever ‘ The Axe’ wants to do, I am in. I will cut my left leg off if I have to.”