Places You Dont earns an Emerging Stars finals spot
In-form Places You Don’t earned a spot in the $25,000 Emerging Stars Final (1800m) at Globe Derby Park this Saturday with a last-to-first victory.
Bred, owned and trained by Toby Ryan at Roseworthy, and driven by his wife Lisa, Places You Don’t ($13) swept around the field over the final 600 metres to win the Kevin & Kay Seymour Emerging Stars Pacers Series Heat 4 (1800m) at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
The five-year-old mare drew away for an 8-1/2 metre success from the red-hot $1.05 favourite Sea Salt with Atmosphere ($101), four metres away third.
The victory gives Ryan two runners in this week’s rich final as Ubetonred won his heat at Port Pirie on June 11.
“It is going to be a great final,” Ryan said.
“The best horses have come through each of the heats, so the barrier draw is going to be vital.
“It is nice to have two tickets in the lottery.”
Ryan said he had not been completely surprised by the win of Places You Don’t.
“The favourite (Sea Salt) has been impressive, but my mare won in great style on Monday, and I thought overall, tonight’s field was a little bit easier.
“The drawback was gate 10 but she was still good enough to come from last.
“It is good to have bred her as well and she is out of a mare (Starsign Dreama) given to me by the late, great Andrew Gilbert from his successful breeding family.
“I’m sure the barrier draw will be a key in deciding which of our runners Lisa will drive.”
Sea Salt, trained in Kadina by Tyson Linke, had been eye-catching in winning her first two race starts at Port Pirie and some punters felt she would make it a hat-trick and backed her from a quote of $1.20 into $1.05.
The grey filly, bred and owned by Tara-Shae Linke, began nicely from gate five but driver Wayne Hill was caught wide, and initially started to ease back before letting Sea Salt stride forward and find the lead.’
Sea Salt came home a quick last half in 58.1 seconds but Places You Don’t was good enough to run her down.
Another Emerging Stars finalist, Lizzie Shelby, had the perfect ‘warm up’ for this week leading throughout in the Upstep Media Pace (2230m).
Trained at Gawler River by Peter Bain, Lizzie Shelby ($1.20 fav) found the front from gate two and was perfectly rated by Wayne Hill to score a 7-1/2 metre win from Major Mad ($19) with Captain Cosmonaut ($14), a half head away third.
The former New Zealand mare dashed home in 57.6 seconds for a comfortable win, and she looms as a major player in this week’s final.
Spare a thought for Gawler trainer Rob Caruso, who prepares his horses at Golden Grove.
Caruso was ‘King of the Claimers’ about a decade ago but when the claiming races disappeared from the SA programs, he went into a temporary retirement with his last winner being in 2022.
His runners have been sparse over the past few years but he looked to be on the comeback when top Queensland trainer-driver Peter McMullen sent him down 10-year-old Tairlaw Toll for a local campaign.
Tairlaw Toll stepped out for his first run for the trainer in the standing start 1800-Got-Junk? Pacers Handicap (2230m).
Driver Wayne Hill had the gelding away well to settle second before bringing him to the outside coming off the back.
Tairlaw Toll ($5) drew clear to win by 2-1/2 metres from the fast-finishing Bellezza Nera ($3 fav) with pacemaker Duke Of Dundee ($10), a half-metre away third.
As part of his arrangement with McMullen, the winner went into the race with a claiming price of $7000 and it was taken up by top New South Wales trainer Nathan Turnbull.
“I am well aware that when horses are listed with a claiming price they can be purchased,” Caruso said.
“But I had thought I would have this bloke for a bit more than one run.
“I guess the win shows I still can train,” he joked.
Leading trainer Ryan Hryhorec continued his great strike rate in trotter’s races winning both races for the square gaiters.
Hryhorec drove Thunder Wing ($5) to success in the Crestline Meats Trotters Handicap (2230m) beating stablemate Cadence Lane ($3.10 fav) by a neck with Majestic Summer ($17), 2-1/2 metres away third.
The winner is owed by the trainer’s stepson Ollie Stauwer-Smith, who loves harness racing.
“Ollie loves the horses,” Hryhorec said.
“He gets up with me at 5am and helps with the training before heading off to school.
“He loves Thunder Wing, and she has now won nine races for us.”
Hryhorec also prepares the star Doff Your Cap which won his fifth straight race in the Ladbrokes Quick Multi Trotters Mobile (1800m).
On a night where they were many short price favourites, perhaps the biggest surprise was that he started at $1.33 favourite because he had been giving his rivals up to 40 metre starts in handicaps, and on Saturday, he was off level terms in a mobile.
Despite sitting parked, Doff Your Cap, driven by Danielle Hill, the nine-year-old cruised home 12-1/2 metres clear of stablemate Almighty Fear ($13) with Kyvalley Heist ($4.40), five metres away third.
Concession driver Nick Brown, from Bagot Well, was in the good books with Mum Peta landing Better Be Lively a winner of the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Pace (1800m).
Backed from as much as $34 into $8, Bettor Be Lively sprinted strongly in the home straight to run down the red-hot $1.50 favourite Magic Storm and win by a neck with Take My Wallet ($9.50), 13 metres away third.
“He has been a wonderful horse for our stable,” Brown said.
“We purchased him for a moderate price, and he now has won 14 races for us.
“He loves it with a sit behind good tempo and tonight’s race was ideal.
“I was a bit worried early three back on the fence but when Whata Optimist came off in front of me to sit parked and I had the trail on the favourite I knew he would be in the finish.
“Even though he is 11, Bettor Be Lively is still loving his racing.”
- Story – Graham Fischer
- Photo – Walter Bulyga