Looks like Lady Luck has finally smiled on Gundy Sun and his team of local owners. As we said in this column a coupe of weeks ago, with luck this horse could quite easily have won four straight.
Barrier draws and luck in running has cost the young immature youngster dearly but it all changed on Saturday, Magic Millions day on the Gold Coast.
Barrier One and a beautiful ride by top hoop Danny Nikolic saw the Falvelon four year-old easily account for the class six field.
Early on he could easily have been described as a “ratbag”, throwing jockeys and bolting, but a surgeon’s knife and plenty of care from stable staff has turned him into a promising young sprinter.
A nice spell now and he will graduate into open company and no doubt provide some more fun for his multitude of local owners.
Gundy Sun was purchased for $26,000 (get Cookie to tell the story of how he was purchased, we’re not game) and Saturday’s win took his earnings to $170,000, less “expenses”.
Talk to anyone racing horses and get them to explain “sundry expenses”. But no one can explain or put a price on the “exhilarating emotions” as your horse flashes past the post a winner, especially on a day such as Magic Millions Day.
We commented recently that this year’s bunch of three year-olds were the best in a decade and named those we thought were the best to keep tabs on. You had better add another one to the list.
A fortnight ago, We’re Gonna Rock, having his first start in a race, returned sensational sectionals.
Tailed off last at the 600 metres when jockey Michael Rodd gave him a smack with the whip, he burnt grass sizzling the last 600 in 31.82.
The best sprinter in Australia, All Silent recorded 32.5 over the same 600 metres winning the Group One Emirates on the last day of this year’s spring carnival.
A well known pro punter told us many years ago, trying to pick winners on times will see you end up with patches on your tie, but to record that time by a youngster having his first start in a race is the sign of a very good horse.
He is in the stable of an extremely patient trainer in Mark Kavanagh, who will take care of him.
If you stick with these young up-and-coming horses through the autumn, you shouldn’t get into too much trouble.
Surprise! Surprise! Patinack Farm owner Nathan Tinkler has sacked another trainer.
This time he has removed all the horses he had with Melbourne trainer Mick Price.
The list of former trainers reads almost like a who’s who of the profession and whilst we have no knowledge of the reasons and it’s no business of anyone except Nathan, the present staff must be looking over their shoulders.
The great Bart Cummings once said the happier a horse is the better it performs. This adage could also apply to stable staff.
Queensland stewards who gave apprentice Daniel Ganderton two months for his ride on Deer Valley a fortnight ago at the Gold Coast, should be ringing up and apologising.
Deer Valley was near last as they straightened in the big field and Daniel went looking for inside runs just as young Hall on All Silent did in the recent big Hong Kong sprint. In both cases, the runs didn’t come.
Come Saturday again at the Gold Coast and Daniel, aboard Deer Valley, did as the stewards said as he should have done last ride, pulled Deer Valley to the extreme outside for its finishing run. Got beaten a lot further. Like to get on the appeal being upheld.
Young Ric McMahon also copped three months for allowing his mount to shift away from the fence on Boxing Day at the coast, giving Coming Up Trumps an inside run to win the race.
Many Moons ago when George Moore was riding winner after winner for Tommy Smith, punters and race callers said George had a whistle.
We’re told George didn’t have a whistle but had a favourite saying, “a monkey for a run”. A monkey was $500.
Just as well the coast stewards were not running the show in England a couple of years ago. Stallion prospect Haradasun badly needed a European Group One victory to go with his Australian group Ones for a much higher stud fee.
In a group One, a stable mate set the pace with Haradasun camped behind but a horse went up outside putting him in a pocket. In the drive to the line the stablemate drifted away from the fence and through went Hararasun to victory and his English Group One and off to stud.
Wife of Rather Rotund Resident of Baker Street to Lady next door, “I told him we should make some provision for any emergency through 2010. Away he went and came back with a crate of beer.”
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