LOCAL four-year-old mare Marmaduke’s Lady may atone for an unlucky fourth in the $100,000 Country Championships qualifier by winning at Taree Wingham Race Club’s big matinee TAB meeting at Bushland Drive Racecourse on Saturday.
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The Pablo Shultz-trained mare was hesitant to take a vital gap which probably cost her a chance of victory behind Taree mare Sheza Gypsy, trained by Michael Byers, a runner in the $300,000 Country Final at The Championships on Saturday at Royal Randwick.
She finished on the heels of the winner in a cracker finish to the qualifier at Port Macquarie on March 6 where less than four lengths covered first to last.
Marmaduke’s Lady meets a handy field in the Class 2 Handicap over 1250m and Shultz’s only worry is how his mare will handle the conditions following rain during the week.
Her best runs have been on the Port track where she has won and placed in the wet,so there shouldn’t be any worries.
“She has pulled up good, her work since has been good and she is nice and fresh,” Schultz said.
With regular jockey Glenn Lynch not available with many senior jockeys being called down south, Shultz has opted for Port apprentice Andrew Adkins to take the ride after he rode the mare in a recent trial at Tuncurry.
Marmaduke’s Lady was bred by Kerry and George Harris, Shultz’s neighbours and the Dam, Beautiful Image, was raced with success by Taree trainer Bob Milligan.
Shultz feels she will be hard to beat even though her two wins have been at Port.
Taree mare Groomaze will be without trainer Byers in Sydney on Saturday but she looms as a chance after her recent third a work since.
“My mare drew wide at Port and was wanting over the last bit of the race,” Byers said.
“Her condition gave out about 75m from home.
“She will be suited by the wet track as she has won in it at Port and was fourth at Kembla Grange in the wet before I got her.’’
Another galloper beaten 2.2 lengths by Sheza Gypsy in the Port championship qualifier which will be trying to win another race on the card is three-year-old Taree
Filly Cash Spinner, trained by Bart Dening for owner Gary Rollings.
Dening has also snapped up two kilo claiming apprentice Andrew Adkins to ride his filly in the Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1400m.
Adkins has ridden Cash Spinner for two of its three wins in six starts and was on the filly when unlucky last start.
“She had to travel outside her comfort zone from her 14 barrier and was kept wide when travelling up on the pace.
“She loves the Taree track,the 1400m and likes any sting out of the ground,” Dening said.
Dening tried to get a run with the filly in the last chance qualifier for The Championships Final at Muswellbrook on Monday but remained an emergency.
Cash Spinner’s last win was over 1400m at Taree when beating Lucky Nic on February 17.
She was given a top-weight against a strong field of gallopers from many districts and the form is hard to line but she has plenty of ability.
Dangers include last start Taree winner Chalcedony and visitors Buffalo Chase and Big On Fame.
Doug Ryan’s selections:
Race 1: Alpen Rose 1, Akamin 2,Za I’m Youthful 3.
Race 2: Lucky Cash 1, No More Drinks 2, Bellahro 3.
Race 3: Gotta Chance 1, Dancing Jill 2, Strife 3.
Race 4: Spinning Gold 1, Miss Manage 2, Clemmensen 3.
Race 5: Pacific Queen 1, Battle Street 2, One Imperfection 3.
Race 6: Cash Spinner 1, Chalcedony 2, Big On Fame 3.
Race 7: Marmaduke’s Lady 1, Groomaze 2, Mosshappen 3.