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Guy's master stroke pays off with former Perth mare

22 September 2018

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Bryan Guy is hoping to convince connections of former Perth sprinter Volkoff to continue her career for another season following her breakthrough Queensland win at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Ridden by Mark Du Plessis, Volkoff stormed home for her first win in three starts for Team Guy in the Bake Boss Open Handicap (1000m).

The seven-year-old daughter of Time Thief downed Misery by a half head with the unlucky Dal Cielo third, a further short neck away.

The win was her 11th in 35 starts and boosted her prizemoney haul to more than $488,000.

Volkoff was a winner of two Stakes races in Perth including the 2017 Listed Miss Andretti Stakes and was sent to Queensland to go under the hammer at the National Broodmare sales at the Gold Coast in June.

However, part-owner Paul Whyte left her with Guy, who trains in partnership with son Daniel, when she failed to reach her reserve.

Guy pulled off a master stroke by using blinkers for the first time in Volkoff’s career.

“I had a good talk to the owner last night and he said let her find her rhythm which is exactly what Mark (Du Plessis) did,” Guy said.

“We thought she was a real good chance in this and it was the first time she’s had blinkers on.

“I hope we can keep her for another 12 months and win more races but I’ll need to talk to her owner.

“But 12 months is a long time in racing.”

Apart from being a breeder, Whyte is a wresting buff and named Volkoff after Yugoslavian wrestler, Nikolai Volkoff who used to be a tag team partner of Killer Kowalski.

Meanwhile former Sydney mare Zumbelina showed the broodmare barn could be a way off yet after claiming the Marcoola Surf Club Open Handicap (1400m).

Zumbelina gave premier jockey Jeff Lloyd his second win of the day when she powered home to down Spur Le Jouer by 2-1/4 lengths.

Zumbelina was sent north by trainer Chris Waller for the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba in April but the daughter of Stratum failed to measure up and was spelled for the remainder of the winter carnival.

The five-year-old mare finished fifth at Doomben when she resumed in August and was third at the Sunshine Coast before breaking through for the first time this campaign at Doomben on September 8.

Waller’s Gold Coast stable foreman Paul Shailer said while Zumbelina remained in form she was likely to continue racing.

Racing Queensland webnews   September 22