Popular Warrnambool trainer Peter Chow sang the praises of highweight jockey Daniel Small after he guided Royal Inference ($16) and Idont’tgetit ($4.20) to victory for the stable at Casterton last Sunday.
“The stable has had a good run over the past few weeks and part of that success is due to the hard work that Daniel puts in,” Chow said.
“It was wonderful to see Daniel ride the two winners for us on Sunday. He’s a hard worker and deserves the success he had.
“Racing is a tough job. We couldn’t get a winner there for a few months but now we can’t do a thing wrong. It’s like a big wheel but it turns slowly when you’re not having any luck.
“Idon’tgetit has an incredible record at Casterton (four starts for three wins and a third). I just wish they raced there more. I’ve got no big plans for Royal Inference. Both horses appreciated a bit of give in the racing surface on Sunday.”
The double gave Chow a record of five winners from eight starters since June 21, and the future looks bright. He says several of the 12 horses in his stable are young horses in need of education.
Good Boy
Veteran Crossley trainer Quinton Scott was over the moon when home-bred five-year-old Final Boy won a maiden plate at Warracknabeal last Friday.
Under the urgings of Jack Hill, Final Boy ($7.50) led and hung on to break his maiden status at the eighth attempt.
“My wife Barb and I bred Final Boy so it’s pretty special to win a race with him,” Scott said. “He’s always been around our place.
“I thought he was unlucky not to have won a maiden before this run. It would have been a huge result for us if he’d won at the (Warrnambool May) carnvial. The bookies bet us $150 and we ran third. It was still a pretty good result — we backed him each way.
“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to our regular jockey Melissa Julius. Melissa suggested we try another jockey, which is how Jack got the ride. He rode him perfectly.
“We’ve got no big plans for Final Boy. We’ll just take him through his grades.”
Friday’s win saw Final Boy take his stake earnings to $23,500.
They ruled the ’Bool
Warrnambool’s famous May racing carnival has lost two significant achievers in recent weeks.
Robbie Laing and Dennis Beriman etched their names in carnival lore for remarkable training deeds in feature races at the three-day event.
Laing won the 1991 Warrnambool Cup with Mantlepiece and the 1992 Wangoom Handicap with Minyama, but it’s the 2009 Grand Annual win of Sir Pentire that will be remembered as one of his greatest training achievements.
Sir Pentire had two years on the sidelines before Laing produced the jumper first up for a thrilling victory in the 5500-metre marathon.
Beriman, father of talented jockeys Nikita and Jackie, trained Bundoor’s Best to win the 1992 Warrnambool Cup.
Four years ago Beriman moved to Queensland to live with Nikita, having trained numerous winners from his on-course stables at Warrnambool.
Deepest sympathy is extended to the Laing and Beriman families.
Tough breaks
Talented Warrnambool jockey Harry Grace will spend time on the sidelines following a race fall from Rolls near the 50-metre mark in a 2000-metre quality handicap at Caulfield last Saturday.
Grace was taken to hospital after the fall with a fractured wrist and collarbone.
Rolls, trained at Warrnambool by Maddie Raymond and Patrick Bell, suffered a catastrophic leg injury and was humanely euthanised.
Grace scored one of this biggest wins of his career when he guided Rolls to victory in the 2023 Warrnambool Cup.
Mighty double
A new era begins for Hamilton Racing Club next month when it hosts the time-honoured Mosstropper Steeplechase and Drechsler Hurdle at its all-jumps meeting on Sunday July 20. Both features had previously been run at Pakenham.
HRC manager Peta Anderson says the club is thrilled to be the races’ new home.
“They’re both iconic races on the jumps calendar,” she said.
“We’re expecting some top-class jumpers to be running in the Mosstropper and the Drechsler, plus plenty of promising jumpers in the supporting races.
“There’s already been plenty of interest from the public. It’s one of the highlights on the jumps calender.”
Tickets including a two-course lunch can be purchased through the club.