Taylor has three shots at glory in 'Rocky'

By Josh Spasaro

With five consecutive wins, Bouldercombe trainer Darren Taylor knows his in-form bitch Impactful will be hard to beat in the Central Queensland Futurity Final at Rockhampton on Wednesday night.

But, there is one chaser who could pose a serious threat to her victory streak and that is kennelmate Scotch Rocket, one lane outside her in the pink rug.

“She (Impactful) is a nice bitch. She’s going really nice. She’s probably got the form on the board to win it,” Taylor said.

“I’ll be honest, she’s probably the one to beat. But, I wouldn’t like the other bitch (Scotch Rocket) chasing her, that’s for sure.

“That’s because she’s stronger. She can get home hard. I think the blue bitch (Impactful) has got to be at least four in front of the black bitch – the one in eight – or she’s in trouble.”

To have two juveniles with legitimate claims in a $7,840 feature race over 510 metres is certainly a good headache to have for the ever-consistent Taylor.

Combine that with Coronation Day taking four wins from his past five starts into the Central Queensland Derby Final over the same distance on Wednesday night and Taylor has plenty to look forward to in the coming months.

“It’s like everything. You have some really good ones and you go through a really ordinary patch,” he said.

“We’ve got some really nice pups coming through. Not just those three, but there are a couple of others on the night, as well.

“Golden Envy in the free for all (race seven), she’s a really nice pup over the sprints.

“And, there’s Scotch Rocket’s sister (Dish Liquor in race three). She hasn’t been fully extended yet. She’s had a few injuries.

“It’s something to really look forward to. There are a few nice ones in the kennel at the moment.”

With seven wins from 19 starts thus far in a highly-promising start to her career, Impactful is being aimed for a tilt at the North Queensland Cup, with the heats in Townsville on November 18.

“She’s a nice bitch. Touch wood everything goes well and she gets through this week,” Taylor said.

“Then she’ll probably go to Townsville for a look and up for the North Queensland Cup.

“She just falls in there by a couple of days, so she’s eligible for that. She’ll go up there with a couple of others and then we’ll start racing south with a couple of them.”

Impactful has already shown her versatility – she can ping the lids, cut across to the rail and open up an unassailable early lead.

Or, she can flash home late on the home straight.

By in-form sire Bernardo and out of Appointed, who won seven from 24 starts, Impactful is also blessed with a long, athletic frame.

She won her last start over 407 metres at Rockhampton by eight-and-a-quarter lengths.

“She’s well bred. The owners have done a great job to grab her at the price they got her for,” Taylor said.

“With what she’s done, she’s paid for herself three times over now.

“And, they’re having a ball with her. The owners were offered a few dollars for her after her third start when she won and they knocked it back.

“They just wanted to have a bit of fun with her.”

Kennelmate Scotch Rocket has won three of her past five starts.

Taylor said the eight lane should suit her on Wednesday night.

“She’s up to free for all class. She’s only a young pup – she’s only just turning two,” Taylor said.

“And, not the last start, the one before over 500 metres, she took on the free for all chasers and beat them.

“I think she’s developing into a nice stayer. I wouldn’t say her racing is limited here, but it’s at the point where we’re going to head south with her and put her over the 600 and 700 metres. 

“I think that’s where her pet distances will be.

“I don’t mind her out there (in the pink rug). The eight is going to give her a bit of room and she likes a bit of room.”

Taylor added Coronation Day possesses both toughness and an ability go through the gears smoothly on the home straight heading into the Central Queensland Derby Final.

“He’s really hit his straps. He’s going really nice. He’s been injury-plagued all his career from day dot after his first win at The Meadows,” the Central Queensland conditioner said.

“George (Farrugia) asked me if I’d like to have a go with him. So, we did. And, probably in the past eight weeks we’ve really got on top of his injuries.

“He’s going really good. He’s trialled some really quick times here for me. I’m really happy with him.

“And, I like him in the eight because he likes a bit of room as well.

“He doesn’t come out of the boxes 100 miles an hour. He doesn’t get off the mat quick. But, especially over the 400 metres, he’s put away five or six of them going down the back.”