OBE UNPLUGGED - SECONDARY MEETINGS OFTEN SHOWCASE EMERGING TALENT
By Mark Oberhardt | Monday, January 14, 2013
Mark Oberhardt has been a racing and sports reporter for 40 years. He has written racing for the Courier Mail, Brisbane Telegraph, Sydney Sunday Telegraph, Sportsman, Australian Associated Press, etc. He has also written many sports columns including the Courier Mail’s The Ear. Mark has also been a regular on RadioTAB for 20 years. Mark’s personal blog, Obe Unplugged, will appear every Monday on HRO.
THE non-metropolitan standard meetings in Brisbane during the Magic Millions carnival are developing a trend of exposing future stars for the first time.
Unless my memory is finally shot a Doomben secondary meeting saw a horse called Buffering win his first start. I remember it because trainer Rob Heathcote had two in the race and I managed to back the other one.
Buffering went on to be Queensland's best sprinter.
There have been a couple of other top horses make their debuts in the January heat. I reckon Saturday's runner up Stories will develop into a very good miler later in her career … but that is another story.
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The non-metropolitan standard races have also been showing city folk the rising star apprentices.
Last year Tegan Harrison rode her first Eagle Farm winner at one of those non-metropolitan meetings. Tegan has gone on to be third on the senior rider’s premiership this season.
This year was no different with young Beau Appo riding his first Eagle Farm winner and his first Eagle Farm treble.
I should make it clear that I missed both the Eagle Farm and Gold Coast meetings to attend a social function last Saturday. Well to be honest it was a football reunion but in-between discussions about bad knees and dodgy tickers, there were several phone calls raving about Appo's effort.
I have since had a chance to watch the replays and must agree he is a rider of great promise.
The Deagon based rider is the son of one of my favourite all time hoops in Lyle Appo. I backed Lyle when he rode the front running mare Our Rosalee for Roy Dawson back in the 1980s. Lyle, who even had a stint as a postman, is back riding and the Appos have ridden winners on the same country meetings.
Beau looks a real talent who has a very good seat on a horse. He is also strong hands and heels in a tight finish. I don't know the plans for Beau but there is no need for him to rush into metropolitan racing.
The young rider has plenty of time and there are a lot of opportunities for him.
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Also on Saturday city racegoers got their first chance to see Gold Coast apprentice Rikki Jamieson. My old mate Wayne Wilson has wraps on her as does her master the very astute Harold Norman.
She rode her first Eagle Farm winner with Cannyzing for Harold. It was a super ride and she is definitely a jockey to follow. And it was also good to see Priscilla Schmidt ride another winner on Saturday with Raise Up.
She was flying before being out of the saddle for months with a broken ankle. In her first week back she rode three winners.
Priscilla has a 3kgs claim for metropolitan racing so she is another to follow. I got to meet her while she was working for Brisbane Race Club television during her injury layoff and I was impressed with her love for racing.
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For all the criticism that TAB turnover would suffer, the Eagle Farm meeting was a high standard and had a good TAB turnover despite no form appearing in the mainsteam media.
But as a sidelight I only had one complaint about no Eagle Farm form in the traditional outlets. The reason is there are so many outstanding form guides available for free in TAB agencies and on the internet.
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Meanwhile, another Magic Millions carnival has come and gone, with the usual array of criticism.
The biggest dispute seems to be the big prizemoney meeting is restricted to just Magic Millions sales graduates.
I don't see anything wrong with that as a one off promotion. Let’s be frank, anything that can help the Magic Millions sales is a good thing for Queensland racing.
Like it or not much of our racing is centred around the Magic Millions sales and I hope it continues on its merry way for decades to come.
The meeting always produces a good future star although I must agree with those who say the depth of talent is often limited. I reckon about three of the Magic Millions Two Year Old field will ever reach open company.
The other criticism is running the race at the Gold Coast where big fields always produce a lengthy steward’s report. I suppose there is a case to reduce the field sizes but that is a matter which needs proper research.
As for moving the meeting to the bigger Eagle Farm, I don't know if that would work. The Magic Millions has found the perfect home at the Gold Coast and despite qualms from Brisbane folk, it has continued to boom.
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Finally, I must congratulate Kelso Wood on winning the Magic Millions two year old with Real Surreal.
Yes, when Assail was scratched I did let fly at Real Surreal, but I still haven't got over Wood losing the MM Two Year old on protest with Prince Regent 25 years ago.
See Kelso good things finally come to good blokes. And yes I can hold a grudge as I still reckon you should have two Magic Millions trophies on the mantle.
But then again I am just a cranky old man.
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