Akavoroun should stay in Brisbane: Meagher

Melbourne trainer Ciaron Maher will be asked to leave Akavoroun in Brisbane after the gelding broke his long winning drought at Doomben.

Akavoroun ($5) scored his first victory in 741 days when he beat Brettan ($8) by 1-1/2 lengths in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) on Saturday.

The gelding was Maher’s first winner this winter but he did have several stakes minor-placed horses, including his mare Azkadellia in the Group One Doomben 10,000 and Group One Tatts Tiara.

Maher decided to leave Akavoroun, which had not won since the 2014 Melbourne Winter Championship Final, with his friend and former mentor, trainer John Meagher.

The gelding showed a return to form with a second at Doomben two weeks ago and dropped 3kg in the Tatt’s Mile, and Meagher says he will recommend Akavoroun stay in Brisbane for the time being.

“Ciaron once rode track work for us in Melbourne and he has come a long way since then,” he said.

“I think Akavoroun is in his right grade up here and I will suggest that he stays.”

Jockey Michael Cahill picked up the winning when Damian Browne was a scratching from the meeting.

“I had a bit of luck from the wide barrier and was able to get a good run. It was a good strong win and he is back near his best,” Cahill said.

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Glen Colless said Brettan had run his usual honest race but Akavoroun had been too strong.

Jetset Lad ($26), who won the Tatt’s Mile in 2015, turned in his best run for some time when third just in front of the early pace maker Flamboyer.

“Flamboyer wasn’t helped by being attacked in the lead by a $100 shot at his first attempt at 1600m for a while,” stable foreman Gary Doughty said.

Meagher and his son Chris had their eighth winner from 17 runners in July when Cruising Speed ($10) won the Tattersall’s Class 3 Plate on Saturday.

The filly is likely to step up to 1600m at her next start.

Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan continued his good recent Brisbane run on Saturday when Catseye Surprise ($16) and Angel Dancer ($3.70) gave him a winning double for the second time in as many Doomben meetings.

Angel Dancer made it three wins from three runs for the Nolan stable, giving jockey Jeff Lloyd his 76th winner of the season and a 4.5-win lead over Jim Byrne in the metropolitan premiership.

“She is a big mare and she had to do it tough today. We will look at stepping her up to 1600m now, which should suit her,” Nolan said.

Catseye Surprise, which was formerly trained by Terry Croft in Sydney, is having her first start for Nolan after failing at Rosehill in January.

Former Victorian apprentice Rebecca Williams had her first Brisbane metropolitan winner when In The Genes ($26) scored an upset in the 2000m race.

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