Total Media Ban lays down gauntlet in Pop Northfield Memorial
Total Media Ban took out his heat of the Pop Northfield Memorial at Casino with the fastest time of the qualifiers on Thursday.
Trained by Julie King out of Warragai Creek, the chaser was sent to the boxes as a $6.50 prospect with bookmakers in a maiden class heat over the 411m.
Jumping from box two, Total Media Ban got out to lead and dictated terms for the entire trip before kicking away on the final bend to take the win.
He beat home Bobby Unleashed ($4.60) by seven-and-a-quarter lengths in 23.21, with race favourite Loongana Park ($2.70) finishing in third.
2023 Pop Northfield Maiden Heat 4 – Total Media Ban (23.21) T: Julie King
Total Media Ban’s victory at Casino makes him the second winner from a 2021 litter of four, out of Gone By Noon and by Mr Pupparazi, with littermate Puppeteer having two wins and three placings from seven starts.
Total Media Ban will be joined in next Friday’s final by the other five heat winners in Son Of Sennachie (23.33), Indefatigable (23.65), Darby Display (23.48), Express Train (23.59) and Lil Miss Miles (23.28), along with the two fastest second place getters Lukey Valley (23.46) and Backcreek Bullet (23.52).
2023 Pop Northfield Maiden Heat 1 – Son Of Sennachie (23.33) T: Craig Gardoll
2023 Pop Northfield Maiden Heat 2 – Indefatigable (23.65) T: Reg Gardoll
2023 Pop Northfield Maiden Heat 3 – Darby Display (23.48) T: Evelyn Harris
2023 Pop Northfield Maiden Heat 5 – Express Train (23.59) T: Neil Falls
2023 Pop Northfield Maiden Heat 6 – Lil Miss MIles (23.28) T: Craig Gardoll
Last year’s edition was won by the Stephen Keep-trained Sal’s Blue Boy in his second start, beating home the Reg Gardoll-trained Starline Express.
The Gardoll family will have a triple chance at redemption this year, with Reg Gardoll training Indefatigable, while his son Craig has Son of Sennachie and Lil Miss Miles as chances.