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Party time for trainer after drawing the ace in Albion Park feature

7 June 2019

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By Duane Ranger

‘Ole Clumsy’ has finally got a draw and the TAB has reacted.

The awkward and bumbling equine, Somepartysomewhere, has been crying out for a decent draw after copping marbles 10, six, three, nine, and seven, in his last five starts.

This Saturday he has drawn the ace in the feature event at Albion Park – the $21,000 Garrards Horse & Hound MO Pace.

“He’s been racing extra well from horrible draws and on Saturday he finally cops a good alley. The way he’s been going lately, I think he will be very hard to beat. Fitness won’t be a problem,” said his Redcliffe trainer, Greg Franklin.

The TAB has opened the 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding as a $3.50 favourite.

He and regular pilot Nathan Dawson will start from barrier one.

However, Franklin stressed Somepartysomewhere was the most accident-prone horse he had ever come across in 40 years of training.

“He’s all good now, touch wood, but who knows for how long, especially the way he goes about things. He’s split his head a couple of times and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he did it again,” Franklin said.

He said Somepartysomewhere resumed from a seven month spell when winning at Albion Park on March 29 and was then side-lined for another couple of weeks after that due to another accident.

"If only he would steer clear of trouble because when he's sound he's right up there with the best I've had. Fingers crossed he can do the simple things right in his paddock this time in," Franklin said.

“It’s always something,” he added.

Somepartysomewhere’s latest injury a month or so ago saw him split his head open in a gate in his paddock.

“It’s wasn’t serious and we had to side-line him for  out for a couple more weeks. He also fell over in his float once on a trip to Sydney. He’s also been cast in his box; and had several paddock injuries, as well as viruses and illness in his career,” said Franklin.

Somepartysomewhere goes into Saturday’s 2,138m mobile the winner of 19 of his 73 starts. He's also placed 22 times and banked $97,350 in purses.

"The draw is ideal because I think he can lead and if not trail, but the distance doesn't exactly suit him. However this is his best chance of winning for some time.

"I'd like to keep on racing him through the Winter Carnival, but he will tell us what his agenda is. You can never plan too far ahead with a clumsy horse like this," Franklin said.

He said his owners Bob Wilson and Roger Hando paid $2,500 for Somepartysomewhere off Luke McCarthy 10 races into his career. That was in June 2016.

"He got to where he has pretty quickly. He won 13 races one season and 10 at Albion Park, so he has got to the top class in no time.

"I think we have yet to see the best of him. He's the improving type, who certainly has the gears to win on Saturday," Franklin said.

Franklin has just one other starter on Saturday night - the Dawson driven, Our Bondi Beach, in race seven. The TAB has him quoted as a $34 outsider.

"He's copped a horrible draw (11) and for that reason I don't think he can win. He's going real well at the moment too, but the draw will cost him.

"If he can get a run into it at the right time, then he is capable of getting some of it. He was only beaten by four metres in 1:51 last start, so that’s good form. Place at best from 11 this time though, I think," Franklin said.