Wagga preview: Trainer Norm Gardner can’t wait to see promising gelding Take The Rap back in action

Canberra horseman Norm Gardner couldn’t be happier with his Wagga-bound quartet with Take The Rap and Dorami leading the charge.

Trainer Norm Gardner couldn’t be happier with Take The Rap and is looking forward to returning to Wagga with the promising gelding.

A son of Star Turn, Take The Rap won his maiden on the Riverina circuit back in April but things went pair-shaped second-up when he was found to have an issue after finishing sixth behind the exciting Snow In May.

“He pulled up with a pretty bad throat infection so he had to go back out to the paddock,” said Gardner.

“It was a shame he had that problem because I think he would have been competitive with them.

“He was up there outside them until the pressure came on and that’s when he struggled.

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“He’s quite a nice horse. A big, strong fella and I really like him

“I remember when James (Innes Jnr) trialled him at Goulburn before his first start. He said he has probably beaten nothing but he feels like a good horse.”

The gelding resumes in the Class 1 Handicap (1000m) and while he hasn’t had any official barrier trials, Gardner said he is ready to go after a couple of good jumpouts.

“He has come back in very good order. I’m really happy with him,” he said.

I could have given him another jumpout last week but I didn’t think he needed it.

“Barrier three is ideal for him. He will jump and put himself up on the speed and I think he should race very well first-up.”

Another horse Gardner is excited to have back at the races is Dorami who kicks off her campaign in the Ian Reid Sprint (1200m).

The mare last raced in the Southern Wildcard of the Country Championships when fifth behind Associate.

Prior to that, the placed in six of her previous seven starts including a near five length win over 1300m at Canberra last December.

“She is a pretty good horse with a solid record,” Gardner said.

“If you look at her run in the Wildcard, she hammered in front and was still there with 50m to go. It was a super run.

“She goes very well fresh and she does race well at Wagga.

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“She has drawn ideally in barrier 4. From there she will jump and be up on the speed.

“I think she will absolutely run out of her skin this week.”

Like Take The Rap, Miss Ghent had a similar issue which affected the end of her autumn campaign but is back to full health now.

She will resume in the Class 2 Handicap (1200m) and while she will be better as she steps up in distance, Gardner feels she will make her presence felt.

“She went awful in Country Championships heat at Moruya. I had her scoped but we were never able to get her 100 per cent right,” he said.

“She had a good break and has come back very well now.

“Being 1200m first-up, I’ve put the blinkers on her. They will help sharpen her up a bit so she doesn’t get too far out of her ground but they will come off as she gets further up in distance.”

“I’m looking forward to this preparation with her.

“She is by Dundeel and now she is a four-year-old, I think we will start to see the best of her.”

Gardner also has A Double Degree entered in the Showcase Maiden (1300m).

“He’s a pretty green little fella who still doesn’t know what he is doing but he is improving,” he said.

“It was a good run when third on the Acton last start and that will help his confidence.”

EVERSON CONFIDENT DIZZY DEE IS CLOSING IN ON A BREAKTHROUIGH WIN

Lightly-raced mare Dizzy Dee is still a work in progress according to trainer Shane Everson but he feels her maiden win is just around the corner.

While her first campaign saw Dizzy Dee finish in the second half of the field in both starts, Everson said there were excuses while this campaign has seen her improve with each run.

Having placed at her last two runs following a close fourth at Grafton first-up, the daughter of Dissident is among the chances in the Maiden Plate (1205m).

“She has always shown a bit of talent on the track at home,” said Everson.

“She is a big, raw thing, about 16.2 hands and she still hasn’t filled out into herself yet and she is also still mentally immature.

“I thought she raced well with excuses in both starts of her first preparation.

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“First-up she nearly got put through the rail at the 600m then at her second start, she had no luck up the straight. She got caught deep and still found a way to get into trouble in the run.

“She is starting to race more tractably with each run and I’d like to think she can break her maiden soon.

“Once it all comes together, I think she has a nice future.”

Everson’s other two runners are both resuming from long breaks and he said they will derive benefit from their runs.

Spelterini hasn’t raced since finishing third behind Bemote at Tuncurry in July last year and is first-up for Everson in the Maiden Plate (805m).

“Her work has been good at home but to be honest, I was a little disappointed in her trial. Hopefully she races better than she trials,” he said.

“The 800m suits her first-up and she will improve off the run.”

Supreme Hero returns after near two years off in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1005m).

“He was only meant to have a week or so off in the paddock but his owner passed away and ended up staying in the paddock longer than intended,” Everson said.

“When he was due to come back into the stables, he cut his leg and had to stay put a bit longer.

“His work has been nice and he trialled well the other day without being knocked about.

“He’s got good ability but after such a long time off, he might take a couple of runs.”