LONGER TRIP SUITS SHORT SARA AND HAIL TO THE CHIEF PUTS THAT FIRST WIN ON THE BOARD

By Graham Potter | Saturday, August 28, 2021

The Michael Nolan trained Short Sara already had three wins behind her name when she came to Ipswich for a Class 3 Handicap on August 25, and she also had two wins in three starts at the track to recommend her chances.

For all of that though, she was only lukewarm in the fourth line of betting at $9 behind the $2.90 favourite Phantom Court who had both won and placed second in town on the way to her three wins.

As he had done with Bent Benny when claiming victory at Dalby the day before the Ipswich meeting, Michael Nolan changed things up for Short Sara, increasing the distance test to 1710m from the 1300m trip she had tackled at her previous start.

Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor settled Short Sara in midfield early, in a comfortable fifth spot, as the favourite Phantom Court tore away at the head of affairs, attempting to make very post a winning one.

Short Sara still had a six length deficit to make up as the field began the sweep to the home turn but, thanks to a steady forward move approaching the turn, Short Sara straightened only over a little over a length off Phantom Court with her three wide position allowing the daughter of Mahisara a straight and clear run to the line.

And the run she produced from there was straight and true.

Short Sara took over the lead inside the final 150m and, although there were some others running on well enough behind her, once in front there was only going to be one result and that was a well thought out win which, in the end, came by 0,80 length margin.

Short Sara is now a four time winner from only thirteen starts and she also has three minor places to her credit.
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Hail To The Chief gave trainer Michael Nolan his fourth winner from his last fourteen runners (which translates into a recent winning strike rate of 28.57 percent) when he landed a 1300m Maiden Handicap at Toowoomba on August 28.

The win was certainly due as the lightly raced five-year-old son of Tycoon Ruler had been warming up to it nicely when finishing third and then second in his previous two in the build-up to this winning performance.

Accordingly, Hail To The Chief started favourite at $2.05 and, while he was in fifth and then fourth place down the back straight, Hail To The Chief was essentially getting the run of the race on the fence just a couple of lengths off the speed.

Hail To the Chief continued to save ground on the turn, where he moved up to second place, and by the time the field straightened for home, Hail To The Chief was alongside the leader Max’s Source ($10).

Jockey Michael Hellyer then wasted no time in setting Hail To The Chief on his way and he quickly strode to the front and he never let anybody else into the race in the run home, opening up to win by a decisive 3.50 length margin.

This was Hail To The Chief’s first win at his fourth attempt. He has only finished out of the placings on one occasion and that was on debut..

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