By Glenn Davis
QTIS races seem to fit well with promising apprentice Michael Murphy after he rode a city double at Doomben on Saturday.
Murphy claimed the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap aboard the David Murphy-trained Archer’s Paradox then saluted on Goodonya Sonya in the QTIS Two-Year-Old and Three-Year-Old Plate (1200m).
Goodonya Sonya sat in behind a blistering pace set up by early leader Sista Act before powering over the top of the Liam Birchley-trained rival to score by a long neck.
The Tony Gollan-trained Splitter made up a lot of ground to fill the minor placing, a further short half head away.
Murphy is indentured to winning trainer Lindsay Gough who was confident Goodonya Sonya would acquit herself well at her first attempt over 1200 metres this campaign.
She showed she was looking for the extra trip after a finishing third to Helfuchi over 1100 metres at the Gold Coast last week.
“I was a bit worried how she’d handle the back-up as she’s only little,” Gough said.
“But it was the last QTIS race of the season for her and like a lot of other trainers we decided to have a go as the prizemoney is too hard to knock back.”
Gough will send Goodonya Sonya for an immediate spell and is hoping she will come back next preparation a lot stronger before deciding on any specific targets.
Earlier hard-working jockey Les Tilley landed his first Saturday metropolitan winner aboard Spurcraft in the Xplore Resources Handicap (1100m).
Spurcraft led all the way to beat Malvern Estate by six lengths with My Girl Hayley, a further 2-1/2 lengths away, third.
It continued a good week for the widely-travelled Tilley who won the Townsville Guineas on Thursday aboard Rockhampton three-year-old Barbados Storm.
Spurcraft, who has now won six of his nine starts, is prepared by hobby trainer Charlotte White who is deputy principal of the Clifton State School, just south of Toowoomba.
White rode tracks in the 1970’s for Warwick Farm trainer Paul Cave and is considering a Sydney trip with the son of Jetspur.
Meanwhile fellow apprentice Jackson Murphy continued his great form when Sabkhat won the Kohan and Chet Open Handicap (1350m).
Sabkhat, who was scratched from the longer Open Handicap (1600m), set a blistering pace to lead all the way for a 3-1/4 length win over Stella Ombra.
It was Murphy’s fourth win for the week after landing a double at Doomben last Saturday and a midweek win at the same track on Wednesday.
Racing Queensland webnews July 28