Warrnambool trainer Daniel Bowman will push ahead with plans to run Is It Me in the $1 million Group 1 Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on September 20 despite the six-year-old’s unplaced run in last Saturday’s Memsie Stakes.
Bowman was upbeat about Is It Me’s run in the $750,000 Memsie, saying his stable star would be improved with Saturday’s first-up run under his belt.
“The Memsie was a high-pressure weight-for-age race,” he said. “We carried 59 kilograms against some of the best horses. 
“The Rupert Clarke is an entirely different story as it’s an open handicap and we’ll carry 52 kilos. 
“I used the same formula with Begood Toya Mother. I ran him in the (2019) Memsie and he looked a bit disappointing on paper but he came out and won the Rupert Clarke. Fingers crossed the same thing might happen with Is It Me.”
Bowman’s mood only improved at Casterton on Sunday when Look At Mego ($7) won a maiden over 1400 metres. 
“I was quietly confident he’d run well,” Bowman said. “Her first-up run at Mount Gambier was full of merit. 
“It’s a great result for her owners as many are from Warrnambool and they’ve been patient.”
Look At Mego’s win came at her fifth run and took her prizemoney bank to $25,635.
A pair for Purcell …
Another Warrnambool trainer, Aaron Purcell, took the honours at Casterton with a double — Buzzaroon ($5.50) in 0-58 company over 2000 metres and Francine ($3.90 favourite) in the same grade over 1000 metres.
“It’s pretty satisfying to get the two winners but I’ve got to give a lot of the credit to my staff,” Purcell said. “They all do a great job. I’m very lucky to have them.”
Buzzaroon now has two wins from eight starts and Purcell believes the six-year-old hasn’t reached his full potential.
“Mentally and physically Buzzaroon has been a slow maturer,” he said. “He’s just a big dumb horse. 
“He shows a lot of promise but it’s taken time. I think with time he might develop into a nice type of stayer. We’ll just poke along with him and see how far he goes.”
Francine made it 10 wins from 55 starts when she held out Derelict.
“She’s been an honest mare,” Purcell said. “I thought she’d be hard to beat after she drew barrier one. She jumped, ran and hung on.”
Sunday’s win took Francine’s earnings past $200,000.
… and Pete
Another Warrnambool trainer in form on Sunday was Peter Chow, who had winners at Naracoorte and Casterton. 
Idon’tgetit ($5) produced a last-to-first win in a 2000-metre benchmark 58 at Naracoorte while Royal Inference scored in 0-58 grade over 1400 metres at Casterton.
“It’s just great to get a couple of winners,” Chow said. 
“There’s no big plans for either horse — we’ll just take them through their grades.”
Sunday’s victory was Idon’tgetit’s sixth from 31 starts while Royal Inference has won two from 15.
Follow that Olive
Warrnambool galloper Oliveanotherday couldn’t quite live up to the hype at his debut at Warracknabeal last Saturday but the Tom Dabernig-trained youngster lost no admirers with a fast-finishing second over 1005 metres. 
Oliveanotherday, by Nicconi from a half-sister to Group 3 winner Stirling Grove, was backed from $4.60 to start a $3.80 favourite.
Stewards quizzed jockey Linda Meech, who said the gelding began awkwardly and that to avoid being caught wide she settled towards the rear of the field. 
It was her intention to obtain a trailing position behind Brazenga, but approaching the 800-metre mark she had to restrain Oliveantoherday as another horse moved out. 
Meech said the gelding was travelling “moderately” from the 800m to the 500m, despite her urgings, before being forced wide at the 350-metre mark and on the home turn. 
Meech said Oliveanotherday would be suited over more ground. Dabernig agreed, adding that a more spacious track would also help.