Sea Salt in sizzling hot form
The weather was not the only thing sizzling at Globe Derby Park on Sunday as rising star Sea Salt demolished her rivals in the feature Vale Val Bain Mares Classic Final (1800m).
For the second time in eight days, champion driver Danielle Hill dominated a Globe Derby Park meeting with four winners on the seven-race program.
One of those winners was Sea Salt, backed from $2.20 into $1.90 favourite, leading throughout in the final rating a brilliant 1:54.8.
The four-year-old mare was bred and is owned by Tara-Shae Linke and trained in Kadina by her brother Tyson.
It was an emotional win for the Linke family – husband and wife Ross and Pauleen along with their two children, as they are related to the late Val Bain.
Tara-Shae Linke encapsulated the victory perfectly.
“It is no secret Val meant a lot to the Linke family and to win this race fills our hearts,” she said.
“We loved Val very much and we have incredible memories. Our thoughts and hearts are with the Bain family.
“We know she would have been cheering for the baby grey, and we celebrated in true Val style with a glass of bubbles.”
Sea Salt was having just her 11th start on Sunday but thrashed her rivals recording her fifth win.
Hill found the front from gate two and dictated the tempo.
With 600 metres left to run, going into the back straight, she said, “Let’s go girl,” and Sea Salt quickly put a gap of 15 metres on her rivals.
The grey showed no signs of stopping and cruised home, untouched, to score by 13-1/2 metres from Alora ($19) with Feisty Jane ($41), three metres away third.
Trainer Tyson Linke said Sea Salt was still learning what racing is all about.
“She is like a young girl competing against experienced women,” Linke said.
“From the time we broke her in, we knew she had high speed, and that is why we sent her across to trainer Emma Stewart in Victoria early on but Emma said she was not yet physically robust enough to compete at the top level.
“She is still more than happy to have her back but only when she fills out into her body.
“Unfortunately, Sea Salt had a virus when the Southern Cross was on late last year, but she is now in great order as she showed tonight.”
Linke said the mare would probably have an easy week while the heatwave conditions prevailed before a future program was planned.
He did say that while the mare was building an excellent career, her wins meant she was going through the classes quickly and would find herself competing against talented older horses while herself still learning about racing.
Hill is driving with flair and was at her best with another four following a similar tally at headquarters eight days previous.
Her first win was on Hasty Bid for trainer David Harding in the Ladbrokes Popular SRM Pace (2230m).
Drifting from as short as $1.90 to start $2.40 favourite, Hasty Bid came from last to win comfortably by five metres from Rocknroll Spirit ($9.50) with Lochinvar Camaro ($14) six metres away third.
Starting from gate seven, Hill eased the gelding back to last before coming three wide with a lap to go and proving too strong.
Trainer David Harding said the six-year-old had proved a cheap buy from Queensland.
“He has won four races for us, the last three in a row, and easily covered his price,” Harding said.
“He is quickly moving through to open company, but I believe he won’t be out of place.”
Sea Salt was Hill’s second winner with her third on Miss Out for Two Wells trainer Ryan Hryhorec in the Kevin & Kay Seymour Pace (1800m).
Miss Out ($2.20 into $2.10 fav) led throughout from gate two to score by two metres from Feng Shui Star ($18) with Captain Barnato ($5), four metres away third.
Hryhorec said Miss Out had been racing very well since coming into his stable.
“Tonight was her first decent draw,” Hryhorec said.
“She has had 13 starts for my stable and has drawn gate four or wider, or the second row before tonight.
“This is her fourth win, so she has done a mighty job.”
Hill’s fourth winner was again an all-the-way victory, this time on Cyclone Brenda for the Penfield training team of Jill Neilson and Katie Wilson.
Cyclone Brenda ($3.40) withstood an early burn, then late charge by Calculating Dancer ($5) to win by a neck with Didmeselfamischief ($8), 1-1/2 metres away third.
Bred and owned by the Wyndown Stud of Geoff Easom, the seven-year-old mare notched her seventh win, and second from her last three starts.
Hill picked up the drive because Cyclone Brenda’s regular driver, her brother Wayne, is currently sidelined through injury.
This Saturday’s meeting at Globe Derby Park will feature heats of the SA Pot Of Gold which will culminate in a $15,000 final on Saturday, February 7.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga