Sears saddles up quinella
Red Mako leads the way for Toowoomba trainer
RACING: Favourite backers and trainer Tony Sears celebrated the perfect result when Red Mako led in a stable quinella at Clifford Park on Saturday.
Red Mako ($3) made her way back to the winner’s circle with the aid of rails-hugging Nozi Tomizawa ride in the Living Turf Class 1 Handicap (1300m).
After racing third on the fence behind race leader Rok‘n’undathestars, Red Mako forged through an inside gap on straightening and found the line strongly to outgun stablemate Explosive Evie ($4) by a short neck.
Rank outsider Star Of Columbia ($101) was two lengths further back third.
While Explosive Evie enjoyed a boxseat run, Sears conceded Red Mako’s home-turn short-cut proved to be the difference between his two runners both raced by long-time stable supporter Melvin Foo.
“Explosive Evie’s a very consistent mare and deserves to break through,” Sears said.
“If she had the same run as the other filly tonight she probably wins the race.
“But it was a strong effort by Red Mako and I reckon she’ll get out over a mile eventually.
“She is out of an Lonhro mare and I don’t think she’ll have any trouble getting over further.”
Sears and Tomizawa com- pleted a winning double on the card when Elsaray ($5) bounced back to her best form with an all-the-way threelength win in the M&K Construction Group Benchmark 70 Handicap (1650m).
Supporters of opening winner Tisani Grey ($5) had to sit out a tense wait after he toughed out a game victory for apprentice Nick Keal in the Happy 85th Joyful Collins Benchmark 60 Handicap (1880m).
Tisani Grey battled strongly in the home straight after being forced to work hard in running from his wide gate, and despite shifting towards the outside fence in the home straight he outlasted his rivals to score by a half-length.
But after viewing the stewards race film, apprentice Sally Sweeney on runner-up Bouchard ($31) lodged a protest for alleged interference from the shifting Tisani Grey in the home straight.
After looking to come to the outside of Tisani Grey with her finishing run, Sweeney eventually changed course to the winner’s inside.
Chief steward Rion Hitchener said his panel had dismissed the protest, satisfied Tisani Grey’s shift didn’t effect the race result.
“Our view was Sally Sweeney hadn’t established a clear run on the outside of Tisani Grey when it began shifting out,” Hitchener said.
“We were satisfied Tisani Grey was two lengths clear when Sally elected to alter course to his inside.”
■ TOOWOOMBA stables shone in two of Saturday’s Doomben feature events.
Trainer Rex Lipp and jockey Jimmy Orman combined to win the listed Ascot Handicap with Hard Stride ($14) while the Ben Currie stable saddled With A Promise ($19) for an upset victory in the Listed Tails Stakes.
This month’s Weetwood winner Amanaat was declared a non-runner in the Ascot after stewards found he had not been afforded a fair start.