Sunshine Coast Review: Nathan Exelby talks with the winners and losers from Saturday’s Queensland metropolitan meeting

THE Courier Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Sunshine Coast meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.

THE Courier Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Sunshine Coast meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.

Race 1

KAISER Franz well and truly put to bed his luckless efforts earlier in the campaign when he made it consecutive Saturday metro wins with a tough effort under 58kg.

Part-owner Bruce Harry hopes it’s a good omen for his superstar sprinter Buffering next Sunday in Hong Kong.

Damian Browne, who will fly to Hong Kong late this week, said Kaiser Franz had deserved a change of luck.

“He didn’t have a lot of luck last time and still did the job, so he’s really flying at the moment,” Browne said.

THE BETTING

The tight finish went the wrong way for UBET, with Kaiser Franz the best backed runner in the race (despite the on course drift) and Lever Lever the best result for the book.

Race 2

PUNTERS made the wrong call in making Oradonna the pea, as Elegant Composure again had her measure.

Jim Byrne told Elegant Composure’s owners they are nowhere near seeing the best of her yet.

“I honestly believe she’s untapped yet. She just floats and waits around for them. She does that every single time,” Byrne said.

UBET reported Oradonna was clearly the worst way, despite a string of $1000 bets on the winner late, which saw her trim from $3.80 to $3.20.

Jim Byrne pilots Elegant Composure to a strong win. Picture: Trackside Photography

Race 3

STEWARDS wasted little time in dismissing a protest by Luke Dittman against the winner Winning Rupert.

Dittman claimed Winning Rupert cost his mount Dreams Aplenty more than the three-quarter length margin, but Jeff Lloyd told stipes his colt won with something in hand.

THE BETTING

Bookies couldn’t wins Winning Rupert out quick enough, being $2.80 to $4 and longer on the totes. Oink and Charnley River were the two they wanted.

Race 4

STEELE Ryan will give Another Whiskey one more shot in restricted grade and if he can come through that in winning order, then the Lightning Handicap on Stradbroke Day will be his aim.

THE BETTING

Another Whiskey eased from $3.20 to $3.80 with UBET, but accounted for about 45 per cent of the hold, which represented a big win for punters on the race.

Connections of Elegant Composure saviour their mare’s strong performance. Picture: Trackside Photography

Race 5

David Vandyke made an immediate impression on Queensland — and bookies — when Look To The Stars landed a plonk in the Princess Stakes.

Big odds were offered early in the week and she continued to firm today, starting at $2.50 after $6 was available earlier.

Big bets: Look To The Stars: $2000 @ $4.60, $2000 @ $4.40, $1000 @ $4 & $2000 @ $3.40.

Race 6

Bewhatyouwannabe completed a winning double for the Hong Kong-domiciled Rob Heathcote with his narrow win in the Listed Tails Stakes.

Owner Andrew Bowcock is now keen to take him back to his home town of Scone for the Scone Cup next month.

“He had to race three wide throughout and it just took its toll in the last little bit under the big weight. I was happy with the run,” Steve O’Dea said of the favourite Sir Moments.

THE BETTING

Sir Moments accounted for 50% of the UBET book. “At one stage, the gelding was the best backed runner around the country with UBET and, naturally enough, he would have been an awful result for us,” UBET’s Nick Curry said.

Race 7

The Buffering connection were back in the winners’ list with Hopfgarten in the Listed Ascot Handicap.

Quite a number of Hopfgarten’s joyous connections also share in the ownership of the $7 million superstar. Harry and Heathcote are also part-owners of Race 1 winner Kaiser Franz.

THE BETTING

Worthy Cause started favourite, but UBET reported the winner was a worse result.

Race 8

Stuart Kendrick put a “tough day at the office” behind him when Divine Centuri proved too slick in the Mick Dittman Plate

THE FLOP

Tony Sears viewed the stewards’ footage to see what happened to Blue Desert Moon at the start of the race, where she was squeezed between runners. She was then able to muster her customary speed and drive forward, but the damage had been done. Vets ordered a full post-race examination of the filly.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Review: Nathan Exelby talks with the winners and losers from Saturday’s Queensland metropolitan meeting