Honesty rewarded as Simply Splashing delivers

TOOWOOMBA six-year-old adds to Currie’s winning week

Simply Splashing and Josh Oliver (outside) loom alongside Scherzare before going on to win yesterday’s Class 4 Handicap at Clifford Park. Picture: Nev Madsen.

RACING: Toowoomba six-year-old Simply Splashing underlined his “bread-and-butter” value when he delivered his supporters a tasty Clifford Park victory yesterday.

The former Victorian gelding notched his second Clifford Park victory since joining trainer Mark Currie earlier this year with a game performance in the Luke Brookman Electrical Class 4 Handicap (1300m).

Simply Splashing ($3) raced in fifth position for Josh Oliver before rounding up his rivals on straightening and hitting the lead inside the final 150 metres.

Runner-up Scherzare ($7.50) found a good kick in the home straight for Emma Ljung but Simply Splashing responded when challenged near home to score by a short neck.

Race favourite Rosendahl Red ($1.85) raced behind the early leaders but was outsprinted in the home straight before finish 3¾ lengths back third.

Simply Splashing’s win continued Currie’s winning surge for the week after previous wins from stablemates Soxagon at Eagle Farm the previous Saturday and Ankara and Write The Rules at Kilcoy on Friday.

“We’ve got some nice horses coming through and we’ve had a good trot this week,” Currie said.

“This horse is very honest and tries his heart out carrying plenty of weight.

“He’s got to be ridden right, which Josh was able to do today.

“He’s a good bread-and-butter horse and he’s got a couple more wins in him.”

Simply Splashing and Josh Oliver outside arrive to defeat Scherzare (Emma Ljung) at Clifford Park yesterday.

Currrie brought up number five for the week and his second on yesterday’s card in style when Better Than Ready filly Ready Babe made a slashing debut in the Millmerran Flyash QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1000m).

Ready Babe ($1.70 fav) travelled in second place for Emma Llung before slipping to the lead near the 400-metre mark and motoring away in the home straight under quiet riding to score by 6¾ lengths.

Spinning Spirit ($9.50) battled on okay for second with Adamdeeant ($3.80) another length back third.

Ready Babe’s race time of 59.36 carved more than half a second off Outback Storm’s class record set in 2016.

Toowoomba mare Evamac ($4.20) proved her previous drought-breaking win was no fluke when she made it back-to-back wins for trainer Eric Ropiha in the Vision Exercise Physiology Class 2 Plate (1100m).

Evamac’s career resurgence continued when she burnt off co-leader Accumulated on straightening before finding plenty over the closing stages for apprentice Madeleine Wishart to outlast solid-finishing $2.90 favourite In Fiore by a short neck.

THE WIN

READY BABE is the one from Saturday’s meeting you’d like to have shares in going forward after her stylish race debut in the Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1000m).

THE TRAINER

MARK CURRIE took the meeting honours with wins from Simply Splashing and Ready Babe while Warwick trainer Leo Roche has Benchmark 75 Handicap winner Colpo Di Tamburo motoring along in career-best form.

THE RIDE

APPRENTICE MADELEINE WISHART continued on her winning way after teaming with Evamac and In Your Element who both scored successive Clifford Park wins for the 2kg claimer. But her night also ended in disappointment after receiving a 12-day suspension.

FROM THE STAND

Race 1: Here the punters had it down to two runners in Simply Splashing and Rosendahl Red and both horses shortened on the QOP. Rosenthal Red 2.00 into start 1.80 and the winner Simply Splashing 3.30 into start 3.00; there was some follow-up cash on track following the trend on the QOP for Simply Splashing for the bookie to start off behind.

Race 2: Like days of old, the Currie Army rolled over the winnings from race one into Hydrangea, 3.20 into 2.80. There was specking for Accumulated at 10.00. In Force saw money late on the QOP 3.20 into 2.80. The winner Evamac was 4.40 into 4.20 and paid well on the totes.

Race 3: There was early specking for Bray, 14.00 into 11.00. Last Armageddon was a drifter and impossible to lay on track starting 4.60 on track. The winner Colpo Di Tamburo was the big money horse in the race, 3.80 into start 2.90 and paid well unders on the totes.

Race 4: A good betting maiden race and the bookie got to lay most runners. Early money was on Fitzroy Boy 5.00 into 4.40 and a phone bet of $400 each way at 4.80. The Currie Army unleashed on Barney’s Law 2.30 into start 2.00. There was a phone bet of $2000 at 2.20 and plenty of cash bets on track. The form students noted the debut run of Millen Falcon and the 7.00 on offer was easy pickings.

Race 5: A different betting maiden race here. The punters only wanted the two runners in Adamdeeant and Ready Babe. The connections of Adamdeeant had two licks with good cash bets on track and there was a phone bet of $1200 at 3.50. The Currie Army must have known they had a good horse in the winner Ready Babe and as much as 6.00 was bet pre post. There was no real money on track at the 1.80 and Ready Babe showed them a clean pair of heels at the home turn. Ready Babe was smashed on the totes and paid 1.40 on Vic tote.

Race 6: Here Oia was impossible to lay, 2.00 pre post and to SP at 3.60. Swift Shift saw good cash money at 3.30. The weight pull with Nathan Fazackkerley help make the winner Lady Dala a good thing and a good result for the bookie.

Race 7: A first-time punter came up to the bookie and wanted to back number six in the last. He explained that there were only five runners. She advised she had lots of success backing the number six all night. The track bookie got to lay two runners in the last, Scilago and the winner, In Your Element. For the bookie it went the worst way with late phone bet on In Your Element of $1500 at 2.25 to send the bookie home a loser on the night.

CLIFFORD PARK

Track: Good 4.

Rail: True entire course

1._ CLASS 4 HANDICAP, 1300m: 3.00 SIMPLY SPLASHING (b g 6yo Testa Rossa-Macsplash. Trainer: Mark Currie) 59 (J. Oliver) 1; 7.50 SCHERZARE 54 (Emma Ljung) 2; 1.85 fav ROSENDAHL RED 58.5 (G. Geran) 3.

Then followed: 31.00 Studly Rooster, 26.00 Inkulu, 61.00 Angels Love, 9.00 Princess Cavallo last.

Won by sh nk, 3¾ lens. Time: 1:19.27. Last 600m: 35.23.

2._ CLASS 2 PLATE, 1100m: 4.20 EVAMAC (b m 5yo Longhorn-Mayamac. Trainer: Eric Ropiha) 57 carr 55 (Madeleine Wishart) 1; 2.80 fav IN FIORE 59 (Skye Bogenhuber) 2; 15.00 INVINCIBLE DREAM 57 (Emma Ljung) 3.

Then followed: 9.50 Accumulated, 2.90 Hydrangea, 41.00 Nivo, 81.00 By The Law, 31.00 Piginarki, 31.00 Nicconi Bay last.

Won by sh nk, 2 lens. Time: 1:06.60. Last 600m: 35.89.

3._ BENCHMARK 75 HANDICAP, 1100m: 2.90 fav COLPO DI TAMBURO (b g 5yo Drumbeats-Anigma (GB). Trainer: Leo Roche) 54 (K. Yoshida) 1; 4.40 SUPER SUAVE 59.5 (G. Geran) 2; 6.50 REAL SUPREMACY 55.5 (Skye Bogenhuber) 3.

Then followed: 9.50 Real Cute, 4.80 Last Armageddon, 11.00 Bray, 16.00 The Mechanic las.

Won by ¾ len., 1½ lens. Time: 1:06.26. Last 600m: 35.71.

4._ MAIDEN PLATE, 1200m: 5.00 MILLEN FALCON (ch g 3yo Star Witness-Silk And Money. Trainer: Matt Boland) 56 carr 54 (N. Masuda) 1; 10.00 LET’S BOOM 55.5 (K. Yoshida) 2; 91.00 Ruffin It 56 (R. Goltz) 3.

Then followed: 2.00 fav Barney’s Law, 21.00 Iberian Lace, 31.00 Evrynow’n’then, 4.40 Fitzroy Boy, 21.00 Little Albert, 71.00 Massie Whisper, 81.00 Final Drum, 51.00 More Fierce last.

Won by 2S½ lens, hd. Time: 1:13.65. Last 600m: 36.54

5._ 3-Y-O MAIDEN PLATE, 1000m: 1.70 fav READY BABE (b or br f Better Than Ready-Brookie Babe. Trainer: Mark Currie) 55 (Emma Ljung) 1; 9.50 SPINNING SPIRIT 55 (R. Goltz) 2; 3.80 ADAMDEEANT 57 (G. Geran) 3.

Then followed: 19.00 Miss Bulitz, 26.00 Saint Rodney, 11.00 Naval Strike, 101.00 Lucky Senator, 101.00 Lingy, 31.00 Exceptional Belle last.

Won by 6¾ lens, len. Time: 59.36 (class record). Last 600m: 34.60.

6._ MAIDEN PLATE, 1625m: 5.00 LADY DALA (b m 4yo Dalakhani (Ire)-One Dream. Trainer: Kris Lees) 55.5 carr 52.5 (N. Fazackerley) 1; 2.60 fav SWING SHIFT 56 carr 54 (N. Masuda) 2; 41.00 JONDY QUALO 57.5 (S. Sweedman) 3.

Then followed: 51.00 Keyhole, 5.00 Soldier Poy, 3.70 Oia, 11.00 Kumari last.

Won by ½ len., 7¼ lens. Time: 1:41.22. Last 600m: 37.78.

7._ CLASS 3 HANDICAP, 2150m: 2.25 fav IN YOUR ELEMENT (br m 5yo Red Element-Your Lion Eyes) 54 carr 52 (Madeleine Wishart) 1; 2.70 SCILAGO 58.5 (R. Plumb) 2; 4.40 NIATROSS 59 (R. Goltz) 3.

Then followed: 7.50 Westbrook Warrior.

Won by 3 ¼ lens, ½ len. Time: 2:15.54. Last 600m: 36.47.

DALBY

Track: Firm 2

Rail: Out 2.5m 600-300m

True remainder

1._ OPEN HANDICAP, 1000m: HE’S A MORAL (Leeanne McCoy, 13.00) 1; Ritchford (K. Yoshida, 5.00) 2; Eight Over (Hannah English, 1.60) 3.

Then followed: Rough Eddie, Music Scene.An

Won by .1 len., 1.5 lens. Time: 57.38 (all races hand timed).

Winner trained by David Reynolds

2._ BENCHMARK 55 HANDICAP, 1000m: GLENBAWN’S DUTCHESS (Cecily Eaton, 6.00) 1; Hey Doll (R. Goltz, 4.80) 2; Geng (Sophie Wilcock, 5.50) 3.

Then followed: Swift Response, Exceed All Odds, Your My Blue Boy, Jondy Joy.

Won by .8 lens, .2 len. Time:

Winner trained by Darryl Knight.

3._ BENCHMARK 50 HANDICAP, 1200m: ZOOMING (S. McGovern, 4.40) 1; Te Rangi (K. Yoshida, 7.00) 2; Leroy Rocks (Sophie Wilcock, 6.00) 3.

Then followed: Play Now, The Intern, Prior Engagement, Positive Spin, Pretty Song.

Won by .8 len., 1.5 lens. Time: 1:10.92.

Winner trained by James Baker.

4._ MAIDEN PLATE, 1200m: TEYA (Sophie Wilcock, 6.00) 1; Fury Of The Storm (Hannah English, 1.90) 2; Enchanted Reign (M. Schrapel, 7.50) 3.

Then followed: Ilovethisgirl, Sick’em Rex, I Know Yves, Bellice, Flyash, Missgoodytwoshoes.

Won by .8 len., 1.3 lens. Time: 1:11.70.

Winner trained by Stephen Kirkwood.

5._ CLASS B HANDICAP, 1400m: AKLAVIK (Heather Poland, 13.00) 1; Royal Warfare (Montanna Savva, 6.00) 2; Heaven Help me (M. Schrapel, 6.00) 3.

Then followed: Bel Beau, Droplet, Gratsie, Boltin’ Desire, Beauty Secrets, Brad Be Bold, Captain Crumpet.

Won by . 8 len. 1.5 lens. Time: 1:22.87.

Winner trained by Geoff Schrader.