Maher-Eustace runner chasing successive Listed wins in Glasshouse Handicap
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Chassis will be looking to make it back to back Listed class wins when she lines up in the Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunny Coast on Saturday.
The mare won a Benchmark 78 in May at Sandown, over the 1300m, at a starting price of $18 after leading at the 800m mark and taking the victory by one and a half lengths.
Chassis backed this up last start over the 1200m with a win in the $160,000 Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic on Ipswich Cup Day, with Ipswich’s own hoop Jake Bayliss onboard.
New owner Jo O’Gorman from Parsons Creek Farm was impressed with the win and the future journey for their latest purchase.
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“We were absolutely ecstatic to get that result so quickly, because we only bought her last month” O’Gorman said.
“It doesn’t always happen like that and it’s not one that we’re taking for granted, we’re very lucky to have her.
“Ciaron (Maher) kind of twisted my arm to keep her racing and I’m glad that we did. Initially we were second-guessing whether we should race her.”
The decision made was a great one and Chassis will now have a tilt at the Glasshouse Handicap, with Bayliss retained to pilot the six-year-old for the 1400m contest, worth $300,000.
Chassis will come out of barrier 18 in the second last race for Caloundra Cup Day and currently is paying $9.50 with top online bookmakers, having shortened from $15 since markets opened.
The daughter of Al Maher has had 33 starts for seven wins and six placings with $610, 625 in prize money banked.
The markets for the Glasshouse Handicap have the Nick Ryan trained gelding Munhamek as favourite paying $4.40 with Cepheus at $8, Aureus Angel at $7.50 and Blaze A Trail at $8 as the lone runners at single figures in the market.
Last year’s edition of the race was run on a heavy eight track and won by the John O’Shea trained Le Gai Soleil, paying $7, who snatched victory in the dying stages in her last race.