With South Australia last weekend hosting the Nationals for the first time since 2016, it was a case of participants reaping the benefits through prize money increases for events conducted last week.
The increases stretched as far as Mount Gambier, with a total of more than $4000 added to the Thursday time-graded and Sunday’s category 2 meetings at Tara Raceway.
And it was trainers Michael Niele of Berringa, Cap Abbott (Edenhope) and Darren Petersen (Rochester) who collected the lion’s share of the extra prize money on offer at the Thursday meeting when leading in doubles.
It did not take long for Niele – back at Tara Raceway after a six-week absence – to find winning form again when Amali Moo was successful in the opening event – the Da’Leni Meats Maiden Stake (305 metres).
Lining up for her sixth start, the Amy Syndicate-owned daughter of Bernardo and Lorenza led all the way from box two for a length win over Total Garth in 18.13 seconds. Niele is the blue bitch’s third trainer in a racing career that has so far spanned only five months.
An hour later, Silver Streak, a daughter of Cosmic Chief and Miss Heart, and a winner the last time Niele had raced in Mount Gambier, fronted up as a $13 chance in the Williams Crane Hire TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
Raced by Tullamarine-based Noel Walsh, Silver Streak chased Pate Biscuit and Kahu into the home straight before finishing strongly for a 1¼ length win over Kahu in 23.75 seconds. For Niele, it was his fourth local double this year.
Cadillac Beast was the first leg of Abbott’s 10th double this year after virtually leading all the way in the Metal Worx TG1-4W Stake (400 m) and defeating Sudoku Jade by 1½ lengths in 23.84 seconds.
The win was the son of Beast Unleashed x Olivia’s Ruby’s first since November last year and preceded Cadillac Girl’s narrow all the way win over the Niele-trained Property Mogul in the Commercial Hotel TG5+W Stake (400 m) in 23.56 seconds.
Lakeview Lottie, chasing her first win in more than 12 months, looked pretty good for Petersen when leading all the way in the Cadillac Racing TG5+W Stake (512 m) and defeating Two Hands George by 5½ lengths in a best of day 29.87 seconds.
Purchased with distance racing in mind, the daughter of Whiskey Riot and Lakeview Grace ran a 2½ length third over 732 metres last month at Tara Raceway behind Vega Black who was successful again last week over the distance.
And Petersen brought up his double after Golden State led all the way from box three in the Greg Martlew Autos TG5+W Stake (400 m) for a 2½ length win over Quantum Master in 23.66 seconds.
Only a head separated kennelmates Penny Drop and Starlight Jewel in the Todd’s Photographics TG1-4W Stake – the first of two heats of this month’s Fast Forward series over 512 metres.
And it was another Goodwin family affair with the Hamilton-based mother and son team of Lorraine and Kyle both ensuring a spot in this week’s final with Penny Drop and Starlight Jewel after they had run 30.18 seconds and 30.19 seconds respectively.
Bourne Panama, owned and trained at Allendale East by David Peckham, also looks set to make her presence felt in the Category 2 final given that she did not run much slower than the first heat when defeating Jacaranda by 5¾ lengths in 30.22 seconds.
Meanwhile, the Thursday, September 5 time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway, as had been the case in August for the first meeting of the month, will be graded best to worst.
However, the remaining three Thursday meetings for the month will be graded worst to best and include the Fast Forward 1-4 wins heats and finals over 400 metres and 512 metres.
