Gatt & Dapiran Take Time Honours In National Derby & Futurity Semis
Mark Gatt's well performed chaser Ritza Hattie successfully avenged her second placing from last week's heat of the Group One National Futurity, with a strong display from box two in semi final two. After beginning moderately, the daughter of Bombastic Shiraz and Midnight Flare, loomed up between runners around the first turn to sit in third place behind Jason Mackay's smart youngster Zipping Delta. The two-time Group winner took full advantage of a rails run on the home turn, to streak away by two lengths in a speedy 29.55.
Semi final one of the Futurity was taken out by Keinbah owner-trainer Ryan Tredway and Little Satisfies. Having just one career win to her name, the daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Really Satisfies, dwelt at the start and suffered a heavy check at the first turn, before showing genuine speed down the back to sit in second place behind early leader Smashing Sally. In a last ditch effort, the $35.10 rank outsider lunged at the line to score by a head in 30.03. Jodie Lord qualified two runners for Friday's final with Cawbourne Cobra and Cawbourne Rev finishing third and fourth respectively.
Leading breeder Martin Hallinan has made an impact on this years Derby series and yesterday proved his charges will be very competitive in next Friday nights final by qualifying three runners. Hallinan's best result was Zipping Brock trained by Peter Dapiran, who stepped out in semi-final two of the Derby with solid support from punters at $8.50. The son of Mantra Lad and Cho Chang jumped beautifully from box four and was never headed in a fast 29.56 display. Hallinan's own runner Waymore's Blues, put in another solid performance from box one to finish second and $2.10 favourite Red Road was squeezed out at the start and failed to qualify, however Gatt's other chaser Ritza Raider ran a respectable third.
Semi final one went to the in-form Evil Punk for James Coyle, who exploded from box one and got a beautiful rails run to lead throughout in a speedy 29.59. Reserve runner Soviet Missile for Toby Weeks ran a gallant second at big odds of $18.60 to qualify and $1.60 favourite Boyce Road after finding early trouble, managed to run fourth and book his place in next weeks Group One final.
The box draws for next weeks $75,000 to the winner finals:
Group One National Futurity Final
1. Cawbourne Rev – Jodie Lord
2. Smashing Sally – Neil Falk
3. Queen Esther – Noelene Holloway
4. Rue De Kahn – Dean Swain
5. Little Satisfies – Ryan Tredway
6. Zipping Delta – Jason Mackay
7. Cawbourne Cobra – Jodie Lord
8. Ritza Hattie – Mark Gatt
Group One National Derby Final
1. Boyce Road – Mark Gatt
2. Evil Punk – James Coyle
3. Lochinvar Rossi – Robert Smith
4. Waymore's Blues – Martin Hallinan
5. Zipping Snoopy – Peter Dapiran
6. Soviet Missile – Toby Weekes
7. Ritza Raider – Mark Gatt
8. Zipping Brock – Peter Dapiran