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Fletcher claims first city winner with Snowden cast-off

14 July 2018

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By Glenn Davis

Former Kiwi jumps jockey David Fletcher celebrated his first metropolitan winner as a trainer when Wild ‘N’ Famous was successful at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Wild ‘N’ Famous, ridden by apprentice Jag Guthmann-Chester, powered home to beat Queenofthepixies by a long neck with a short neck to third placegetter, Super Suave.

Fletcher, 36, has only been training since September after working for four years as foreman for the now retired former Sydney and Gold Coast trainer Mario Caltalbiano.

Fletcher recently took over the training of Wild ‘N’ Famous and Prince Famous who were previously trained in Sydney by Team Snowden.

Both are owned by the Yellowbrick Road Company who owned the pair when they were with the Snowdens.

“The owners sent both to me but Prince Famous went straight to the paddock for a spell while Wild ‘N’ Famous had his first start for me on Ipswich Cup day when he ran seventh,” Fletcher said.

“It's my first metropolitan winner and it’s a thrill to train one.

“I used to ride over the jumps in New Zealand but I only had about five rides.

“Mr brother was a good jockey and won a Liston Stakes in Melbourne as an apprentice.”

Meanwhile bookies were cheering after the opening race when Beaudesert-trained galloper Yaba Dabyl Doya caused a boilover in the Savills Sunshine Coast Handicap (1400m).

Ridden by Michael Cahill, Yaba Dabyl Doya raced midfield most of the way before gaining a rail runs at the top of the straight to down hot-pot Privlaka by a short head.

Really Reilly made up ground for third, a further 1-1/4 lengths away.

Privlaka, ridden by apprentice Boris Thornton, was a certainty beaten when held up for a run at a crucial stage in the straight.

Privlaka started a short-priced favourite following his run in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast last month when runner-up to the Richard Laming-trained Jamaican Rain.

Yaba Dabyl Doya is a rising seven-year-old son of Clang and is trained by Ken Deacon at Beaudesert.

His mother A Little Dabyl Dooya was also trained by Deacon and has proven to be a prolific broodmare at stud.

The Clang breed are noted wet track performers and the soft conditions were in his favour.

It was the gelding’s first win since beating former Townsville Cup winner Outraged at Doomben last August.

Racing Queensland webnews   July 14