High Earner Proves To Be Just That In Qld Derby
Australia's newest superstar sprinter High Earner ($2.50) swept to his third Group victory in 18 starts when he won Thursday night's Group 2 Qld Derby (520m) at Albion Park.
The son of Collision-Double Guess led throughout to win by three-quarters of a length over Fedex with a head to Dashing Corsair in third.
High Earner has now won 13 of his 20 race starts and been placed six times.
His only unplaced effort was when he was knocked down at the start in the Lismore Future Stars Maiden last Christmas.
In 18 race starts, High Earner has now won more than $100,000 with wins also in the Group 2 Vince Curry Maiden at Ipswich and the Group 2 WA Derby final at Cannington. High Earner continues to earn the highest of praise.
His victory over some of the best young dogs in the Derby was exceptional.
He ran a 5.63 first section and then defied his hot rivals to run him down with an 11.54 middle section. He won in 29.96 only the third Derby winner in 17 years at Albion Park to break 30 seconds.
It was his fifth sub 30 second win at Albion Park in the year.
Fedex ($6.00), winner of the Group 1 National Derby and Silver Chief, could not run him down and his trainer Jason Thompson knew the task was ahead of him.
“I knew when High Earner led my dog would not be able to get him,” said Jason.
High Earner is raced and trainer by Christine Robartson and was handled by her husband Dave.
“I have been pretty confident all week in the lead-up,” said Dave.
“I didn't think there was enough early pace inside him to hold him out, and then when Fedex got a start in the final I knew he would stay straight and that would be enough to hold out the dogs on our outside.”
That's exactly what happened.
“When he ran 11.54 to the back mark I knew they would have trouble running him down,” said Dave.
High Earner will now take on top grade gallopers in the Group 2 Gold Coast Cup and the Group 1 Winter Carnival Cup, both at Albion Park within the next five weeks.
Dave Robartson admitted the victory had lifted a huge weight from his and Christine's shoulders.
“There is always a lot of pressure on you when you have a dog like this,” said Dave. “Specially when he is favourite for the Derby final.”
Robartson was quick to name him the best dog from the kennel.
“We've won two WA Derbys and it's a big thrill for us to win this race as well,” he said.
For Dwyer Lennon it was yet another luckless Derby bid with Dashing Corsair ($6.00). The brilliant dog had no luck when a flashing second to High Earner in Perth.
He again had no luck in running and gave High Earner and Fedex a start of six lengths into the back straight but ran them to less than a length at the finish.
After the placed runners the field finished in the following order 4th Dyna Lachlan ($7.00), 5th Surfin' Silence ($8.00), 6th Jamaican Bolt ($8.00), 7th Take The Kitty ($4.40) and Bogie Bomber ($10.00).
High Earner has raced only 20 times for 13 wins and six placings, his prizemoney earnings after the Derby's first prize of $25,000 took his overall stake money to $109,320.
The race is currently sponsored by Brandon Electrics and has been since 1999, Brandon Electrics is Queensland's largest electrical contractor and is operated by greyhound racing icon Paul Felgate. The popular owner-trainer-breeder has supported the industry in numerous ways over a 30 year period and the name Brandon is synonymous with the sport in Queensland.
The Derby has been won by some notable sprinters over the years with the best being Iron Hawk (78), Tangleshell (83), Your Attention (91), Jurassic Vapour (94), Dallas Man (95), Fear No Judge (96), Melbourne Cup winner Roanokee (97), Top Gun – National Sprint Champion Placard (2000), Winter Cup winner Awesome Machine (02), Top Gun Winner Black Enforcer in 2005 and star Victorian Superman in 2007. Listed below is the full honour roll of past winners.
Queensland Derby Honour Roll
- 1972 Dixie's First
- 1973 Dan Meadow
- 1974 Ben Hamilton
- 1975 High Climax
- 1976 Irish Outlaw
- 1977 Rebel Attack
- 1978 Iron Hawk
- 1979 Smart Mission
- 1980 Morayfield
- 1981 Hatari Chief
- 1982 Duration
- 1983 Tangleshell
- 1984 Magic Gull
- 1985 Kismet Range
- 1986 Raging Rajah
- 1987 Track Trump
- 1988 Markaboy
- 1989 Nifty Business
- 1990 Mr Alert
- 1991 Your Attention
- 1992 Tears Finito
- 1993 Dagenham
- 1994 Jurassic Vapour
- 1995 Dallas Man
- 1996 Fear No Judge
- 1997 Roanokee
- 1998 Mighty McClurg
- 1999 Fiery Asset
- 2000 Placard
- 2001 Sorcerer
- 2002 Awesome Machine
- 2003 Road Closed
- 2004 Art Mann
- 2005 Black Enforcer
- 2006 Superman
- 2007 Big Swell
- 2008 Size Can Matter
- 2009 High Earner
[…] leading sire to the end of June 2009. Collision’s rapid improvement came largely courtesy of High Earner’s Group 2 Queensland Derby heat and final win, but other progeny to impress were Devine Road who both his heat and final of the Group 2 Peter […]