EAGLE FARM GIRLS DAY OUT MEETING RECAP

By Matt Moore | Sunday, March 21, 2021

A bumper crowd was on course at Eagle Farm for the annual The Girls Day Out Race Day. Earlier rain had cleared and the crowd flocked to Headquarters for a typical spectacular Brisbane day.

The opening event was a Benchmark 80 over the 1200m and the Tony Gollan trained Chico Milagro opened up favourite. He ended up drifting in the market closer to jump time. It was a win for Sunshine Coast trainer Tony Haydon with his 4yo gelding Kalik. Brad Stewart from Gate 5 had a beautiful jump on the winner sitting off race leader Shijin. Kalik joined the leader at the top of the straight and kept going win the first in 1.11.58 with a last 600m run of 35.30. Congratulations to Brisbane Racing Club chairman Neville Bell and his wife Mary who own the horse.

The second event of the card was a stayer’s race over the 2206m. We had two favourites going into the race with The Cullinan trained by Bryan Dias and Bold Executive for Sunshine Coast trainer Garnett Taylor. As the field made the short run to the winning post for the first time, it was the Leah Kilner mount The Cullinan setting a very slow tempo from the Ryan Wiggins runner in Bold Executive. Across the back straight the two swapped positions and with the tempo quickening on the approach to the home turn. Wiggins went on to score in a time of 2.26.75. The last 600m was 34.53.

Race 3 was our first race over the mile. We again had two runners neck and neck in the market with the Tony Gollan trained Abracadazzle just behind the Garnett Taylor runner in Back When. The speed was set by the top weight Bangers and Mayo as expected who was joined by Kaeser as they straightened for home. Micheal Rodd, who was aboard the winner in Abracadazzle settled about 3-4 lengths off the speed along the fence but pulled out to find a gap outside Kaeser. With a beautifully timed run to the line, Rodd’s 3yo filly joined the leading pair at the 150m mark to win by half a length from Sheridan Tomlinson’s mount Kaeser in a time of 1.38.98. The last 600m was 35.30.

The fourth event on the card was a QTIS 2YO Handicap over the 1400m. The Stuart Kendrick trained I’ve Bean There getting the cash after a quick back up from the 2YO Jewel Race last week. Jimmy Orman settled the gelding toward the back of the field. With those runners off the fence continuing to drift wide, Orman decided to come to the inside of the track and went through the gears to narrowly defeat his stablemate Kenny Boy who dictated the pace in a time of 1.26.40 with the last 600m at 36.12.

With the Day being Girl’s Day Out, it was fitting that the Chris Anderson trained Epic Girl took out the 5th event. When the gates went crashing back, it was Hard Stride from Gate 3 setting the pace with Adin Thompson aboard the winner crossing from Gate 7 to sit on the leaders outside and Epic Gorl pulled away at the 250m mark to win. The time of 1.11.91 was slower than the earlier 1200m race in the day but the last 600m of 34.88 was the quickest of the day.

The second staying race of the day kicked of the main quaddie and it went to the Kelly Schweida trained Joymaker who was on the drift come race time but still jumped the favourite. Michael Hellyer aboard Go Darcy led but was over-racing for the first half of the race. Jimmy Byrne had ridden the winner to two 2nds in her last 2 starts but with Byrne in Sydney to ride Jonker in The Galaxy Stakes (meeting postponed), Schweida enlisted the in-form Rodd to take the ride. And what a ride it was. Soon after straightening for home, Rodd found a gap that opened toward the middle of the track. Aberlady went wide and Rodd pounced on her inside to storm away to win by 3 lengths. The time of 2.21.96 was nearly 5 seconds quicker than Race 2 at the same distance with the last 600m timed at 36.03.

It was a dash for the cash in the seventh event which went the way of Kevin Kemp’s runner Dreamtimer. Madeline Wishart was aboard to hold out Hidden Eyes, trained by Toowoomba based Donald Baker with Adin Thompson steering. Wishart sat off the speed of race leader All Important but was quickly joined by Thompson in the best finish of the day. Race time was 1.18.24 with a closing 600m of 35.76.

One of the best bets on the program got the cash in the eighth race. The Kris Lees trained Ventura Ocean getting the win. In what was the best ride of the day, jockey Andrew Mallyon put the favourite three back, two off the fence. At the 200m mark, the horse appeared to pull back and Mallyon was forced twice to quickly to get him back in stride hot on the heels of the Toby and Trent Edmonds trained Baroda. He left it late but the punters rejoiced as he won by half length. Time was 1.25.76. Home in 35.11.

With the chairman of the club taking out the first event, it was fantastic that BRC racing manager Bart Sinclair’s horse get the cash in the last, Brad Stewart rode Slow Hands to a fantastic win. Settling midfield, Stewart appeared to get checked at the 800m mark but steadied the Kelly Schweida four wide into the turn to trail the Chris Waller trained Kubrick with Luke Dittman in the saddle. Stewart then pulled out at the 300m to record a time of 1.38.56 with the last 600m at 36.18.

Congratulations to jockey Brad Stewart for his riding double and Kelly Schweida for his training double.

Action next week will be at Doomben as the ever popular Winter Carnival fast approaches.

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