Ballina tips: Trainer Daniel Bowen has Tectonic Plate ready to rumble as he casts an eye towards the Ramornie

Trainer Daniel Bowen his sights on a shot at the Ramornie Handicap with progressive mare Tectonic Plate who chases a sixth career win at Ballina.

Jockey Cejay Graham combines with trainer Daniel Bowen to win the Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes aboard At Witz End. Picture: Grant Peters - Trackside Photography

Daniel Bowen could end the 2023/24 season with an Eye Liner Stakes and Ramornie Handicap winner and start the new one with two runners in the $2 million The Kosciuszko.

Bowen, who won last Saturday week’s Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich with ageless veteran At Witz End, has suitably high ambitions for the untapped stablemate Tectonic Plate who chases a sixth career win at start 14 in the Lennox Hotel Benchmark 82 (1200m) at Ballina.

“She is an exciting horse.” Bowen said.

“She has won five times this season this far and her last three wins she’s won carrying niggling problems and she hasn’t even battered an eyelid.

“She is still doing a couple of little things wrong which she can improve. Sometimes she can be a shade tardy which cost her that first-up run, she should have won that day.

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At Witz End, a bargain buy for @dannyb3685, has won the Listed Eye Liner Stakes at @IpswichTurfClub! 👏👏👏

Is he Kosciuszko bound? 🗻 pic.twitter.com/8EutxKoOM2

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 22, 2024

“If she can put it all together, I think next year she will be a better horse with a little break.”

Tectonic Plate, an $11,000 Widden bred HTBA Scone Yearling purchase in 2021, will have won ten times her owner Steve and Karen Butcher’s original outlay if she can add the Ballina feature to her C.V.

To do so, the daughter of Supido will have to overcome a wide draw (14 of 15 to be precise), a scenario that doesn’t worry Bowen.

“Not on a wet track and with the speed of Maximum Vortex,” the trainer said.

“He should string the first part of the race out which will help her get in pretty easily.

“Similar to what happened her last start at Grafton where there was a bit of speed and I know she was off the track that day but she went forward and was in a good rhythm and just bloused them.

“She ticks a lot of boxes, she likes the track, she likes a soft track as well, she’s going to be awfully hard to beat.”

Tectonic Plate has an overall record of 13 starts, five wins and three thirds.

Bowen’s mare has two wins from five starts at Ballina and a hundred per cent record at the distance as well as the track and distance.

1⃣ Tribeca Star
2⃣ Rainbow Connection
3⃣ Fairway Choice

A @mattydunnracing quinella in the @NewhavenPark Northern Rivers Country Championships at @clarenceriverjc, earning both horses a place in the $1 million Final at Randwick on April 6. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/DFcFEHZLi2

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) February 17, 2024

The four-year-old is an explosive mix of speed and stamina being by Supido, who was credited with the fastest 1000m and 1200m’s at Flemington during the entire 2015/16 season, out of a mare by Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.

Where Tectonic Plate ends up this season or the next remains to be seen but Grafton in July is very much a possibility.

“I haven’t really thought too far ahead,” said Bowen.

“We’re going to put her in the Ramornie maybe but we’ll get through Sunday first and then we’ll go from there.”

If she isn’t already, Tectonic Plate is sure to come into contention for a Kosciuszko berth.

Even so, she will have competition vying for the affection of future slot-holders from her 14-times winning stablemate At Witz End.

“He’s won two Listed races after his 60th start. It’s unbelievable. And the way he’s done it,” Bowen said.

“He sat three deep there in the Eye Liner - that was a big win

“He’ll be going to the Kosciuszko. The thing is, if he wasn’t eight-years-old, he would be nearly into favourite.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 5 No. 1: The Lions’ Gate

Only won one from 15 but has very good city form in Sydney and Brisbane. Bad luck is the only acceptable excuse.

"It's the travelling Wilbury!"

Brett Robb trains the Highway quinella with Wilbury and Gallant Star. pic.twitter.com/p3hCX1ZFAt

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 2, 2023

NEXT BEST

Race 6 No. 2: Tectonic Plate

Wouldn’t look out of place in a Kosciuszko or Ramornie such is her rising talent.

VALUE BET

Race 1 No. 3: Traveller

Third generation descendant of Travel Light on debut off a decent trial at home at Grafton.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1

Race 6: 2

Race 7: 4, 7, 8, 11

Race 8: 1, 3, 9, 12

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Boom apprentice Jace McMurray has some really nice rides at Ballina.

INSIDE MAIL - BALLINA

RACE 1

Traveller is a Lisa Sheppard-bred, owned and trained gelding on debut. He is well-bred too; his third dam is Travel Light who won the NZ Derby and Canterbury Guineas over here. Traveller is the only debutant in the race and it is never easy to win at the first run but the trial was better than it looks. Bun In The Oven is third-up and off a P.B. Rodeo Dealer is second-up and off a P.B. Both, however, are drawn a little wide. No excuses for Romi.

Bet: Traveller each-way

RACE 2

Cool Fizz has raced 13 times for two wins and seven placings, six of them are seconds. The Deep Field mare is a red hot on-pacer, if not leader, and you would think that from barrier 2, she will be hard to run down or otherwise - poised. Lady Tulesa is a worthy rival. She’s having her 40th start here but she was runner-up at her 39th. Bear in mind that she has a win and a third from her four track and trip runs. Fire Kirin and Miley’s Memory have claims.

Bet: Cool Fizz to win

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— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 13, 2023

RACE 3

Koolatah, a son of the Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, has won from 1600m to 1850m. He runs over 1910m here, 22 days after his 1730m win at Grafton which was rather emphatic at the end too. All three wins are on Soft. Intentional Lass is a ‘staying Pierro’. She’s rock-hard fit and easily good enough to win, just not sold on her wide alley. Champagnes On Me has drawn to get the best run possible for her anyway.

Bet: Koolatah each-way, quinella 2, 6

RACE 4

Dazzling Robert has three seconds and a third from his nine starts. He’s even got a few good ‘unplaced runs’ on his C.V. This is a very happy scenario for the Owen Glue-trained local; third-up at home with a good draw. Eagle Farm resident Vermillion Kirin was good on debut, better again at the second run so one can only assume that he will be better still at this, the third run. Dee Stormed has a terrible draw but a genuine chance to figure at odds.

Bet: Dazzling Robert to win, Dee Stormed to place

RACE 5

The Lions’ Gate s a Matthew Dunn-trained son of Golden Slipper winner Vancouver and a half to Breeders’ Plate winner Run For Wilson and the Tea Rose winner Longport. Dunn’s gelding has only won once in 15 starts but he has placed five times and almost always against better opposition than what he meets here. Under Twenty Two was impressive when he won his maiden at Grafton and maybe just didn’t love the really wet tracks thereafter?

Bet: The Lions’ Gate to win, Dee’s Delight to place

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— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 10, 2023

RACE 6

Tectonic Plate would not look out of place in the Kosciuszko. Not saying here and now that she would win it but she has got a fabulous strike-rate and can reel off some cracking sectionals in fast run races. The wide draw doesn’t faze trainer Daniel Bowen so who are we to argue. Tectonic Plate ran down and then ran away from Maximum Vortex at Grafton. That said, Ballina is a whole different track layout. Stephen Lee local pair Byron Eyes and Lady Wardell are contenders.

Bet: Tectonic Plate to win, Daily Double 1st Leg (2), 2nd Leg (3)

RACE 7

Tuqiri was scratched from the Gold Coast on Saturday, accepted for Warwick on Monday but drew 13 so one would expect that cleverly-named son of Lean Mean Machine runs out onto the park at Ballina. He’s only lightly-raced; he is in great shape this prep with a closing third at Beaudesert and then a booming win at the Coast. Son Of Heroic landed some good bets when he won first-up. That augurs well for this. Elle Magic and Maple Door are next best.

Bet: Tuqiri to win

RACE 8

Embolden is a market watch given the astute nature of the trainer Bevan Laming. The horse himself has a bit to like about him; he is a Heavy track Gold Coast winner. The son of Sacred Falls is first-up off two very, very nice trials at home at the Gold Coast. Already Better won at Gatton then held his head above water when thrown into the deep end at Doomben. This is easier of course. Irish Gypsy was a Gatton debut winner at $21. Hard to line up but must respect.

Bet: Embolden to win