Upsets galore as Listed racing returns to Brisbane

By Isaac Murphy

Listed racing returned to Albion Park for the first time since the Golden Greys Summer Carnival last night.

A number of up-and-comers got their chance in four hotly contested Brisbane Young Guns heats, while the middle-distance dogs did their thing over two heats of the Listed Carnival Chase.

While a couple of familiar names got the money, it was a night of upsets leading to two wide open fields for next week’s finals.

Lucky Lance flew under everyone’s radar – except trainer Robert Ayres – in the first heat of the Listed Brisbane Young Guns, with the rising star getting the best of a field including gun bitch Extra Malt driving to the lead down the back.

“I can see why people didn’t give him much chance tonight, he hasn’t had a lot of experience but he’s the fastest dog I’ve ever trained,” Ayres said.

“Once he drove through and found the top down the back, they weren’t going to reel him in, he’s always been strong home.

“If we get another inside box for the Final then he’s more than a good chance, he can get down to well under 30 seconds.”

Impact has had a meteoric rise for Kev Ellis; only two weeks removed from winning his novice, he took out his Young Guns heat with a first out first home performance.

“He just keeps stepping up to the plate; his past two wins I wasn’t expecting him to get the money and it was the same tonight - he had some serious competition,” Ellis said.

“He’s shown me over the last few weeks he’s not just a talented dog, he’s got that will to win and knows how to race in a field.

“Obviously it’ll be even harder next week, and we’ll rely on a good draw, but he’s handled everything so far so who knows.”

Nando Dreamer is well versed when it comes to Young Guns races, coming out on top of a stellar field in the Ipswich instalment earlier in the year, and Daniel Lee’s bitch has given herself a shot at the Albion Park title with a sizzling 29.78 heat win.

“When I first started her in the Dave Brett, she was jumping really well and for some reason or another she’s just gone away from that recently,” Lee said.

“I thought it might be a bit tough if she got back from box six tonight, but it looked like she left the best she has in a long time and her run home is never a question.

“We’ve got a ticket to the Final next week, that’s what we came for, it’ll be a different race but that’s her quickest time yet and will be very competitive if she can replicate it.”

It’s been a week to remember for Tony Brett and boom sprinter Orchestrate; after giving the Group 3 Rockhampton Cup field windburn last Friday, he’s backed it up by putting a gap on them in his Listed Young Guns heat.

The dog swept down from box eight to take over out of the straight, and not even the odds-on Louis Rumble could make ground as he sped away to Brett’s delight.

“I’ve always known he was going to be a good dog, I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly; suddenly he’s 14 starts in with a Group 3 win and in a Listed final,” Brett said.

“I love the way he handled the box, it takes a lot of guts to accelerate around them at the first turn and he didn’t hesitate.

“The penny has obviously dropped; there’s plenty to like about him and you won’t find a dog more on top of his game come next week.”

Ninetymile King looked the good thing of the night, shooting for eight straight in the Listed Carnival Chase heats.

However, Ned Snow’s Tony’s Rescue was having nothing of it, with the dog completing his own hat trick of wins, crossing the line in 35.02 seconds.

The dog had gone a long time between wins, until a 500-metre and 7000-metre win the last two weeks, and kennel rep Matt Hamilton said a bit of confidence and fresh legs can take you a long way.

“When he first came to the 600 at Albion Park, he won his first five starts and got up in grade probably a little bit quicker than we expected,” Hamilton said.

“We’ve been trying a few different things at home and the one he’s really responded to is swimming, get him in the water for recovery and he’s a different dog.

“It’s nice to get a win at the 600 - that’s his right trip - and we’d love to pull off another one next week to win the series.”

It might have been a rough result for punters in the first heat of the Carnival Chase, but those who piled in to Pump It at the skinny quote weren’t let down by Mark Saal’s Queensland Oaks winner who went one better than last week.

“She put the writing on the wall with that run behind Sequana last week, she had no right to make up that kind of ground second-up off a three-month spell,” Saal said.

“I gave her a nice light week knowing she’d take some natural improvement and she’ll be even better again next week for that run.

“I’m committed to getting her up over the 700 this preparation and the way she’s running out the 600 it’ll be no problem; it’d be nice to grab a Listed race on the way through though.”

There’s been a change in philosophy at the Tzouvelis kennels lately, with the trainer prioritising 500-metre talent.

It’s paying off, as new addition Vesper Bale took care of business the same week Mitchell Street ran second in the Group 3 Rockhampton Cup.

Kennel representative Jedda Cutlack - who’s done a mountain of work with the dog since arriving from Melbourne - said a Thursday night triumph was good reward, but there was more in store.

“First start we had him he drew the red up here; he flew out and didn’t look like getting beaten, he’s just been struggling at box rise of late,” Cutlack said.

“When he landed third behind the leaders, I knew he was a pretty good chance down the back, we think he’ll get the 600 and he rails well.

“I’m fairly sure he’ll be part of the team when Tom heads up to the Darwin Cup, a race like that could suit him.”