THE DAVID VANDYKE RACING SEASON (OCT 1 - OCT 15)

By HRO | Monday, October 15, 2018

October 1 - October 15

THE OVERVIEW:

The racing schedule for the first half of October was devastated by bad weather with Ipswich (twice), Toowoomba, Doomben, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, amongst others, all being abandoned.

As a consequence of this, the stable was only in action on one day, on October 5 at Ipswich, where four runners were sent out with a return of one win (Ridgway), one second place (Didn’t Mention It), one third place (Miss Power Keg) and one unplaced finish (Lavender Bloom).

This period was a particularly frustrating one for trainers, jockeys and owners alike. The sustained rain event period was still in play at the end of the period under review here placing Racing Queensland under some pressure to add additional races to upcoming meetings to ensure that all of the prize money due is ultimately, rightfully returned to stakeholders.

As disappointing as the meeting cancellations were, weather is just another factor, among many others, that racing stables and owners have to deal with. You do that and move on.

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THE WINNERS:

RIDGWAY (5 b g Gio Ponti - Gogetset)

Owners: Mr J S Kidger, Mrs H V Kidger, Mr K E Coram, Mrs H Coram, Mr R Camilleri, Mrs K Camilleri, Mr C I Dobson, Mrs J L Dobson, Mr A H Hasslinger, Mr G E Lee, Mrs M E Lee, Mr A W Nisbet, Mrs H J Nisbet, Mr A Pirie, Mr G K Reynolds, Mrs K A Reynolds

October 5: Ipswich – Maiden (C,G & E) – 1350m.

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THE WINNERS:

HOW THE RACE WAS WON:

October 5: RIDGWAY

Prior to this run Ridgway was last seen in competitive action on a heavy track at Ipswich on April 11 when coming back in fifth placing.

Five months later, on September 11, Ridgway won a trial at the Sunshine Coast and that hit-out primed him for his first-up effort with the stable targeting this 1350m Maiden at Ipswich as the first mission of his new preparation, his first as a gelding.

Ridgway settled in third spot early, caught three wide a little over two lengths off the lead.

Ridgway then went back to fourth as Lloyd allowed the gelding to ease back momentarily but, once the home turn was in sight, Lloyd started to rev up the five-year-old and Ridgway moved up to join a line of three vying for the lead as the field turned for home.

Ridgway had his head to one side early in the straight, wanting to hang in slightly, but Lloyd quickly took that situation in hand and, once he had Ridgway racing on a straight course, the gelding’s superior talent, relative to his opposition here, quickly came to the fore.

Ridgway stretched out with meaning, taking full control of the race with race winning acceleration between the 200m mark and the 100m mark, to the degree that he had plenty in hand at the line.

This was only Ridgway’s third start for the Vandyke stable since transferring from Robbie Lang stable in Victoria.

Ridgway had its last run for Lang as far back as July 2017 and only trialled for the first time for his new stable in February 2018, since which time he has been very much a work in progress and this result was a just reward for the stable for all of the work that had gone into the horse behind the scenes.

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October 1 – October 15

RESULTS (Non-winning runners):

Oct 5 – DIDN’T MENTION IT – Ipswich – Class 2 – 1350m.
Finished second.

Oct 5 – Miss Power Keg – Ipswich – Class 1 (F & M) – 1100.
Finished third.

Oct 5 – Ipswich – Maiden (F & M) – 1350m.
Finished sixth.

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