By Casey OÇonnor
It was a bad day for the favourites but a good day for racing, with punters having to wait until the second-last race of the day for a favourite to flash past the post first in Monday’s rescheduled Tradies Tab Meeting at Allman Park, Warwick.
Punters had to wait until race seven until Coffs Harbour trainer Graham Payne galloper Fighting Magnus became the first favorite of the day to win.
Michael Hellyer rode the visitor a treat, sitting in the box seat behind the two leaders and made his move in the straight taking the gelding to the centre of track. He raced away to win easily from placegetters Blatavatsky.
The three-year-old now has three wins, two seconds and two thirds from his 10 race starts and could be a galloper to keep an eye on.
Connections continued to show their support for midweek TAB race meetings in Warwick with big fields in all eight races and gift eskies for all tradies as well as lucky door prizes and other incentives for the Tradies.
The track was rated a heavy nine but conditions on Monday could hardly have been better for patrons according to a very happy race club President, Mr Barry Burgess.
The meeting opened with the running of the Shannon Booking Making Services QTIS Two- year-old maiden.
Better Winsome flew out of the barriers and attempted to lead all the way. The Chris Anderson-trained filly looked to have the race in her keeping halfway down the straight but Goblin De Quo under hard riding from Anthony Allen pegged her back inch by inch in the last 100 metres.
In a head bobbing finish the Deagon visitor nailed the leader on the line for a gutsy win. It was a result that would have pleased the bookmakers. The winner started at $16. The favourite Recanti finished midfield and it set the pattern for the day.
The Ranbuild Warwick Benchmark 65 was over the 800 metre journey and midway down the straight the race was anyone’s with six runners stretched across the track.
The winner Boogielu ridden by apprentice Alex Patis finished strongly down the outside of the track after sitting midfield field for most of the race. The Tracy Wolfgram galloper was well in the market and started at $4.20. Favourite Dream Weaving finished a length off the winner in second place.
The bookmakers were cheering home Kiss Hello the winner of the third. Starting at $21 the three-year-old filly, formerly trained by Chris Waller and now in the care of Canungra trainer Kacy Fogden, nailed the early leader and race favourite Toomuchinformation ($1.85) right on the line to break her maiden. It was a great ride by jockey Corey Bayliss.
The photo finish camera was kept busy with races four and five both tight finishes. Top weight in the fourth Demon Delivera ($6) looked one of the picks of the parade and led from barrier to the finish. Under hard riding from Stephanie Lacy the three-year-old having only its third start fought on like a seasoned veteran close to the post to deny short priced favourite Media Scandal ($1.30). The punters had no luck in the next with the $3.90 favourite Sir Piccolo edged out by Zou Zou Kacanarkis ($6) in another close finish.
