Currie’s pair prevail in tight finishes, KWT maintains hot form

MARK Currie returned to form with a double, while jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor again starred in the saddle.

Cincinnati Red and Emma MacPherson. Picture: Kevin Farmer

RACING: Their combined margin might’ve been a fifth of a length, but trainer Mark Currie was delighted with a Clifford Park double on Saturday evening.

Currie made it back-to-back winners to start the program after Cincinnati Red scored at her third start since migrating from Victoria.

The subject of strong market support, the New Zealand-bred mare was the beneficiary of a super ride from Emma MacPherson to nose out Aladina ($26) in the Vanderfield Hino Benchmark 62 Handicap (1200m).

“It took her a little while to acclimatise from Melbourne,” Currie said.

“She’s a big, strong mare that never sweated much.

“Emma rode her really well. She kept her nose in there to keep the first two off the fence so they couldn’t cross her.

“She eased off a bit when they went up the hill and was able to get a nice run along the rail.

“We’ll look to keep her around the 1200-1300m mark.”

Je Suis Belle ($1.40 fav) had the heart rate up for Currie in the opening event on the card, the Vanderfield - RDO Benchmark 70 Handicap (1050m).

Backed into very short odds, the progressive four-year-old looked to be cruising when opening up a three-length lead inside the final furlong.

Dragon Miss ($5) and Maddiara ($11) then launched a late charge, before Je Suis Belle found enough to score by a short-half head to the former, with a further head back to Maddiara.

“I was very nervous (over the concluding stages),” Currie said.

“She was a bit underdone. She was out for a while with an injury, and I’ve probably been a bit kind to her.

“She was a bit new, but I was happy for her to get home. She takes a bit of work and is always in a bit of a hurry, but I think she’s better ridden with a sit.”

The win gave Currie four winners for the day after a double at Goondiwindi with Miss Charlee Lyn and No No Ninette scoring.

It also got jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor off to a flying start, as he looked to match his exploits from last weekend’s four winners.

KWT IN THE ZONE

Off the back of three winners at the Sunshine Coast on Friday night and his solitary ride at the Gold Coast saluting earlier in the day, Wilson-Taylor was full of confidence heading into the Clifford Park meeting.

After scoring in the opening event, the apprentice finished the night off in style.

He timed his run to perfection aboard Absolute Glory ($2.05 fav) in the Furney Stock Feeds Maiden Plate (1300m) to score by 2 ¼ lengths.

Putting a slow start behind him, Wilson-Taylor made it a race-to-race double aboard Shelley’s Spirit ($2.15 fav) to demolish rivals by five lengths in the Sander Partners Maiden Plate (1050m).

He capped the night off in style, making it four winners for the evening aboard Orson ($2.30 fav) to hold off a fast-finishing Shotgun Sonny ($2.50) by a long neck in the Maiden Plate (1050m).

It gives the apprentice eight winners in his last 14 rides at Clifford Park, and 10 winners over the course of the last three meetings.

CLIFFORD PARK RESULTS

Track: Good 4

Rail: True

1. BENCHMARK 70 HANDICAP, 1050m: 1.40 fav JE SUIS BELLE (br m 4y Bel Esprit-Licorice Stick. Trainer: Mark Currie) 57 carr 54 (Kyle Wilson-Taylor) 1, 7.00 DRAGON MISS 54 (Rikki Palmer) 2, 11.00 MADDIARA 54.5 (Matthew Palmer) 3. Then followed: 20.00 Divi, 9.50 Beware, 19.00 Cliveden, 81.00 Crafty Cop last. All started. Sh ½ hd, hd. Time; 1:02.58 (Last 600m 35.74).

2. BENCHMARK 62 HANDICAP, 1200m: 3.80 CINCINNATI RED (NZ) (ch m 6y Reset-Regarded. Trainer: Mark Currie) 57 carr 54 (Emma MacPherson) 1, 26.00 ALADINA (NZ) 57 (Jackson Morris) 2, 5.00 TEARS OF LOVE 60 (Gary Geran) 3. Then followed: 3.50 fav Misslleers, 8.50 Buzzer Beater, 9.00 Shadyvale Star, 6.50 Quart Pot, 31.00 Eskdale Girl, 101.00 Grande Casadora last. Sh ½ hd, sh ½ hd. Time: 1:13.03 (Last 600m 36.05).

3. CLASS 1 HANDICAP, 1300m: 5.50 FIGHTING COMMANDO (b or br g 4y Fighting Sun-She’s Commanding. Trainer: Neil Hocking). 58.5 (Ron Goltz) 1, 21.00 BEACH CLUB 54 (Matthew Palmer) 2, 2.60 fav CHAMPAGNE AUNTY 56 (Gary Geran) 3. Then followed: 9.00 Persian King, 7.50 Sister Kathleen, 5.00 Grand Barrail, 8.00 Count The Coin, 61.00 Intimate Tycoon last. Scr: Kiss’n’Win, Buzzer Beater, Vincit. Lg nk, ¾ len. Time: 1:20.72 (Last 600m 35.42).

4. CLASS 1 HANDICAP, 1625m: 12.00 JABALIC (b f 3y Jabali-Angelic. Trainer: Matt Boland) 54 carr 52 (Montanna Savva) 1, 4.20 SAYS WHO 55 (Matthew Palmer) 2, 5.50 SWEET RIVIERE 55 (Jackson Morris) 3. Then followed: 3.60 fav Star Centre, 51.00 Tyrian, 8.00 Recall Events, 9.00 King Bart, 11.00 Serriano, 15.00 Boltin’ Desire, 101.00 Totten last. Scr: Luvyouanytime. Hd, len. Time: 1:41.74 (Last 600m 36.73).

5. BENCHMARK 55 HANDICAP, 1850m: 5.50 PERFECT PAGE (b or br m 4y Instinction-Index Page. Trainer: Tom Dougall) 57 (Girish Goomany) 1, 2.70 fav SARASUN 62 carr 59 (Kyle Wilson-Taylor) 2, 4.20 BEL BEAU 60.5 (Georgina Cartwright) 3. Then followed: 11.00 Spirit Of Edyn, 15.00 Dominant Witness, 11.00 Slaughter Bay, 9.00 Phoenix Flyer, 21.00 Electric Ellyse, 151.00 Rokatannby last. Scr: Boltin’ Desire. 3 ¼ len, 1 ½ len. Time: 1:55.61 (Last 600m 38.49).

6. MAIDEN PLATE, 1300m: 2.05 fav ABSOLUTE GLORY (b m 4y Olympic Glory (IRE)-Absolute Faith. Trainer: Lindsay Hatch) 55.5 carr 52.5 (Kyle Wilson—Taylor) 1, 12.00 HE’S ALL READY 57.5 (Ron Goltz) 2, 8.00 AWESOME POWER 55.5 (Jackson Morris) 3. Then followed: 3.50 Greatest Joy, 18.00 Remember Bella, 61.00 Enjoy The Show, 151.00 Caught In A Dream, 12.00 Let’s Boom, 101.00 Minaj A Star, 61.00 Massie Whisper, 51.00 Mykiss Froma Rose last. Scr: Set Beat, Stonleigh Jackson, Fingertips. 2 ¼ len, ½ len. Time: 1:20.27 (Last 600m 36.74).

7. MAIDEN PLATE, 1050m: 2.15 fav SHELLEY’S SPIRIT (b m 4y Spirit Of Boom-Fragile. Trainer: Troy Pasoe) 55.5 carr 52.5 (Kyle Wilson-Taylor) 1, 17.00 HISGRACE 57.5 (Gary Geran) 2, 19.00 BEATING DRUM 55.5 (Girish Goomany) 3. Then followed: 2.60 Exceptional Belle, 51.00 Stormtrooper, 51.00 Whitsunday Lad, 13.00 Leadburn Nicci, 13.00 Posey County, 91.00 Roulette, 51.00 Off Course, 101.00 Zaragigi last. Scr: Naytellrhi Bird. 5 len, hd. Time: 1:04.02 (Last 600m 36.80).

8. MAIDEN PLATE, 1050m: 2.30 fav ORSON (b g 4y Bel Esprit-Then He Kissed Me. Trainer: Tony and Maddysen Sears) 57.5 carr 54.5 (Kyle Wilson-Taylor) 1, 2.50 SHOTGUN SONNY 57/5 (Josh Adams) 2, 26.00 LINTHORPE LAD 56 (Nozi Tomizawa) 3. Then followed: 19.00 Mount Padrao, 31.00 Cherax Destroyer, 9.50 Epic Reign, 14.00 Our Rockin’, 31.00 Very Soon, 61.00 Bean Dare Dun Dat last. Scr: Regal Eyes, Inciter. Nk, 1 ½ len. Time: 1:03.91 (Last 600m 35.80).

Originally published as Currie’s pair prevail in tight finishes, KWT maintains hot form