The Rod Symons-trained Poppyice looks to have a bright future after breaking her maiden status last Thursday at Kilmore, at just her second start.
Third on debut in August 2015, the daughter of Strategic Maneuver was sent out a $17 chance at Kilmore, 37 weeks later.
John Keating settled last aboard Poppyice, getting her to the outside in time to overrun odds-on favourite Old Trieste.
“I thought the pace was fair and it suited us to sit off them,” Keating said. “I just had to get her clear … there is definitely a future there.”
The Bendigo-based hoop has been in good form, with a recent double at Kyneton, and the same could be said for trainer Symons.
The win of Poppyice made it three winners and two seconds from his last nine runners.
Poppyice was bred by Bullarook Park Stud (where Strategic Maneuver stands) and Brian Keogh, who part-owns the filly.
With the help of Vobis bonuses Poppyice has won $21,800 from her two starts.
Duro delivers
Bendigo’s Helen Davies broke a long drought at Wangaratta last Friday courtesy of the promising Duro Canyon, who toughed out wet conditions to take out a 1000-metre maiden first up.
The son of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown had run some decent races in his four-start first campaign and last Friday came from a distant last rounding into the straight for a comprehensive 1¾-length victory.
“He got off the bridle in the real heavy ground on the inside and I thought we might have been in a bit of trouble but once I clicked him up and gave him daylight he really took off,” jockey Mark Pegus told Racing.com.
Duro Canyon ($5 into $3) had placed behind subsequent Group 3 winner Santa Ana Lane at his second start.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, the chestnut gelding was passed in $2000 shy of his $20,000 reserve at a 2014 Gold Coast yearling sale.
Dornale drives it home
The Graeme McQueen-trained Dornale broke through for a deserved victory at Swan Hill last Sunday in the $16,000 Swan Hill Club Handicap (2100m).
The seven-year-old had been knocking on the door with second placings at Bendigo and Mornington on the back of two hurdle starts in March. The gelding’s previous win had come at the Yea picnic races in January.
Ridden by Jack Hill, Dornale ($3.50) settled in the back half of the field but overran front runner Gift of Primus to win by three-quarters of a length.
McQueen is the third trainer for Dornale, who had close to two years on the sidelines from May 2013 to March 2015.
McQueen appears to have pulled the right rein by running Dornale at Swan Hill rather than in Tuesday’s maiden hurdle at Warrnambool, where the Tsigane gelding is unplaced from five starts.
Back to business
With the Warrnambool carnival behind us, the spotlight returns to Bendigo this Friday for the club’s annual business lunch and a competitive eight-race program.
From $85 per person guests can hear from Matt Stirling, who will speak on his role as barrister for Peter Moody throughout the recent cobalt saga.
General admission to the races is $10, with gates open at 10.30am.