Championships-bound Maryore surprises
Maryore’s ability in the wet finally sunk in as the mare stormed into the Provincial Championships showpiece at Randwick through the latest weather-affected qualifying heat at Goulburn.
A $9 chance in the $150,000 1400m-race named for late trainer Bede Murray on Thursday, Maryore charged down the outside of the heavy track to give Canberra trainer Philip Courtney a shot in the $400,000 final on April 8.
Maryore overhauled Ziganui and Virgilio, who also qualify for the final, leaving Courtney as one of the few that saw the result coming through misty rain.
“I expected her to run in the first three and a win was not out of the realms,” Courtney told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“Her work’s been great, her first-up run was pretty good on a heavy (sixth at Warwick Farm), which tuned her up.
“We set her for the series and it’s good to have plans come off.
“If there’s a bit of rain around (at Randwick) she’ll be right in it.”
Jockey Tim Clark was also upbeat after latching on to pre-race favourite Louie Sea Kay, who placed fifth.
“I was confident he’d take me well into the straight which he did,” Clark said.
“She’s come here a little bit underestimated. Her second-up form’s great and she was going to be really strong at the end of 1400.”
Co-trainer Keith Dryden was pleased with how well Ziganui handled the wet track while Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was rapt to qualify a second runner for the final after Virgilio was upgraded from an emergency.
“I’m really happy with his effort. Kembla has been under water so he’s missed a little bit of work,” Parker said.
“It’s his first attempt at 1400 and in conditions like that …. halfway up the straight I was waiting for him to paddle but he kept kicking on.”
Parker also has Heavenly Anna in the final after her second to Pomelo last weekend when the washed-out Gosford qualifier was relocated to Rosehill.
Goulburn stepped up to host the Kembla Grange heat after an early morning track inspection found the waterlogged surface unsafe.
The final qualifier is scheduled for Newcastle on Wednesday.
The Gwenda Markwell-trained Pomelo is the TAB’s $4.60 early favourite for the final on April 8.