Emotional time as mare’s owner dies
EMOTIONS will run high if Newcastle mare In Her Time can win today’s $1.5 million UBET Stradbroke, with trainer Ben Smith hoping for some divine intervention.
Connections of the mare are grieving after the death of part-owner Mark McDonald on Wednesday night following a battle with cancer.
Even as recently as four weeks ago, McDonald had planned to watch In Her Time in the Doomben 10,000.
“He was looking forward to coming up and watching the 10,000 but then he got a bit of the flu and went into hospital,” Smith said.
“He got back out for a short time but he went back in 10 days ago and sadly that was it.
“Hopefully at the furlong he can give her a second wind and push her home.”
Smith has tipped In Her Time ($19) to improve “lengths” on her fifth to Redzel in the Doomben 10,000 on May 13, when she raced wide.
He is hoping for better luck today, despite another outside barrier.
“We’ve got plenty of time from the 1350m start. I would love to be in the one-one but even three wide with cover would be OK,” he said.
“It rained all Saturday morning on 10,000 day. Josh Parr said her wheels started spinning on the turn but once she got balanced up, she got going again.
“She’s improved lengths on that.”
The Stradbroke is shaping as an epic betting contest as it heads to Doomben for the second time in three years.
The transfer was ordered after Eagle Farm failed to measure up on Kingsford Smith Cup day, May 27, with an investigation now being headed by former VRC chief Dale Monteith on the best path forward for the venue.
Eagle Farm is likely to be out of action until at least the new year.
The shift of venue has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of punters, whose opinions are divided among a host of chances.
Kingsford Smith Cup winner Clearly Innocent ($4.60) continued to ease yesterday, as support rolled in for Mackintosh ($7.50), Burning Front and Ulmann ($9.50).
Burning Front was in to $10 yesterday after going up $19 following the draw.
Mackintosh is trying to buck history in winning the Stradbroke first-up but that hasn’t deterred punters from tipping in.
“If the money trail keeps going the way it has, he could even start favourite,” UBET’s Gerard Daffy said.
“They have dropped right off Clearly Innocent.”
HOPEFULLY AT THE FURLONG HE CAN GIVE HER A SECOND WIND AND PUSH HER HOME TRAINER BEN SMITH