DIVA IN LINE FOR REPEAT OF HISTORY
HARD working Black River dual licensee Bonnie Thomson is hoping history will repeat itself when her diminutive filly Salika Diva tackles the Hedley Racing Pallarenda Stakes at Cluden Park on Saturday.
Thomson won the fillies division of the Pallarenda back in 2017, riding Salika Diva’s mother Flinders Hiway and says the similarities are uncanny.
And like Flinders Hiway, Salika Diva won her official trial in readiness for Saturday’s big race which is the first northern two-year-old race of the season.
“Salika Diva’s not very big but she’s a solid little girl and a bit thicker than her mum and like her mum she’s a natural – she jumps and runs and goes straight,” said Thomson who trains and rides the filly.
“I haven’t really tested her yet so I don’t know what I’ve got underneath me. I think she will keep improving and there will be a bit more in the tank from the trial.
“She’s not a good track worker but on what she’s done so far she should be up there and I expect her to be in the mix.
“I’ve viewed all of the trials and of what I’ve seen I think she’ll be competitive.”
Salika Diva is going into the Pallarenda off the back of four jumpouts and her impressive win at the official two-year-old trials on October 7.
Named with the first two letters of her three owners – Thomson’s sister Salena Finn, good friend Lin Finch, and daughter-in-law Katelyn Hall – it’s been quite a journey to the track for the little Diva.
After finishing her racing in the north, Flinders Hiway was put into foal to unheralded sire Wicked Intent and with Salika Diva in utero changed hands from Mareeba to as far away as South Australia before ending up in Toowoomba. A chance link to a post on Facebook led to Thomson acquiring the filly.
“Bill Kenning originally had Flinders Hiway, then she came to me but we didn’t have any luck with her, and then Peter Rowe got her in Cairns.
“Peter Rowe actually tagged me in a picture on Facebook one day about this little filly for sale. Someone had advertised her for sale privately and I rang the girl who had her and we ended up getting her.
“We only paid $2500 for her and she wasn’t QTIS when I got her so we paid up the extra to make sure she’s QTIS. I haven’t been able to find out about Flinders Hiway and what happened to her because I would have liked to take her.”
Salika Diva is one of the early favourites for Saturday’s fillies division of the Pallarenda which has drawn an eight-horse field.
Premier trainer Roy Chillemi has three starters including impressive Atherton trial winner Purpose ‘N’ Vision.
Chillemi is also set to take a major hand in the colts’ and geldings’ division with two runners in Tom Hedley’s colours – Casual and the Wallet – who quinellaed their trial in Atherton.
The stable will be looking to repeat their success in the race last year with the brilliant Missile Thunder who went on to dominate last season’s two-year-old events in Townsville.
The Rockhampton-trained Sunnycoast is venturing north for the race after an impressive trial win and is one of the leading fancies in early markets.