Scarlatti executes perfect race plan for Townsville Cup victory

By Pat McLeod

Brisbane trainer Tom Tzouvelis’ national group racing odyssey at the weekend hit ‘pay dirt’ with victory in the Group 2 Townsville Cup on Friday night and third place in the Group 2 Healesville Cup on Sunday.

“What a great few days,” an exhausted Tzouvelis said before the trip back to his Park Ridge kennels from Healesville, Victoria, on Sunday after Valhalla only narrowly missed etching what would have been a rare group double.

“We have covered plenty of miles, but it has been worth it.

“As my owners know, ‘have dog, will travel’. We try to give our dogs the best possible opportunity to earn the most money.”

Valhalla ‘walked’ out of the boxes before sizzling home for third, however the weekend highlight went to Scarlatti who executed Tzouvelis’ race plan to perfection in the $75,000-to-the-winner Burdekin Veterinary Services Townsville Cup Final (498m).

She was one of the last out of the boxes, as her mentor predicted, but, as also forecast, she then mustered quickly from the widest alley and by the back straight was in front of half the field, chasing Jeff Britton’s runaway leader Mackinaw Peach.

Second on the home turn, Scarlatti, hit the finish line the strongest, relegating Mackinaw Peach into second by a length, with She’s A Bumpy (Nathan Goodwin) third in a winning time of 28.69 seconds.

“When I saw her get into third place on the back straight, I was pretty confident,” Tzouvelis said.

“Of course, they are never over the line until they are over the line. I learned that a long time ago.

“You can only hope for the best, but I was pretty confident turning for home that we were in a good spot.”

With Friday night’s win Scarlatti’s statistics move to 13 wins and 15 placings and $171,245 in prizemoney from 52 starts.

The Superior Panama x Sherbini chaser has appeared in numerous feature finals, but until Friday night had never been placed.

“I thought the big Townsville track would suit Scarlatti,” Tzouvelis explained.

“I like supporting the country cups and this year’s team of six was probably the biggest I have ever brought to Townsville.

“We brought up Duffman (Jedda Cutlack), who was one of our main targets for the Cup and also the likes of (recent Molly Campbell Silver Dollars winner) Autumn Storm, just for the experience and to hopefully make her a better dog.

“Scarlatti has been unlucky because we have been striking tracks with her that have been soft when we have stepped her up in distance and that has really been affecting her.

“So, the idea was to freshen her up and have a go at the Townsville Cup.

“She ran 30.08 at Ipswich in the Auction Series, so we knew that she could sprint and she just pulls up so well.

“The race mapped out almost perfectly for us and I was rapt that we were in the right spot to have a crack at them.

“When she came out last, I was not surprised. But it was just a case of getting into her work, which she did.

“She got the clear run then when she needed it.

“After this we are likely to keep her in the sprints and take her to the Ipswich Cup.”

Tzouvelis also won the 2017 Townsville Cup with Gadsby’s Road.

In other features at Townsville on Friday night, Bear’s Bullet (Travis Elson) won the Burdekin Veterinary Services Townsville Cup Consolation (498m), Salah’s Goal (Gavin Mcdougall) took out the Stephen and Rhonda Essery North Queensland Sprint Final (380m), Oorah (Steven Scott) was a comfortable winner of the Olsen Family Townsville Maiden 1000 Final (380m) and Graham Thomson’s Hidden Fury was successful in the Robert Lound Wee Win Kennels Stayers Challenge Final (643m).

Despite the success across the weekend Tzouvelis was unable to hide some disappointment at the tardy start that cost Valhalla vital lengths in the $40,000-to-the-winner Group 2 Healesville Cup Final (350m).

Valhalla stormed home third behind winner Mile A Minute (Jacqueline Greenough) with Zipping Gryllis (Brooke Ennis) second. The winning time was 18.95.

“Valhalla probably lost two to three lengths at the start and ran half a length off what he went last week,” Tzouvelis reflected.

“In that sense he's run a great race, but just chose the wrong day to bungle the start.

“Hats off to the winner and second dog. They both had to navigate their ways through the field and were better on the day.

“So, overall, a great weekend.”