Mini Meld overcomes problems to win
Trainer Mel Eggleston has welcomed a win by troubled gelding Mini Meld at the Gold Coast even though he has had to settle for a dead heat at the Gold Coast.
Eggleston has nursed Mini Meld back to the racetrack after a series niggling problems kept the talented gelding from racing for 13 months.
Before Wednesday’s race, Mini Meld had raced only three times for two wins and a last-start second on December 5, 2015.
Eggleston believed Mini Meld would be hard to beat in the Class Two (900m) but the gelding was agitated when he went on to the track and was taken to the start by the clerk of the course.
Mini Meld ($3.80) was then caught deep and pushed wide on the home turn before storming home to grab a dead-heat win with Hidden Light ($8.50) in the last stride.
“I have never seen him stirred up like that and then to get caught deep made it very hard. It was good to even get half a win and they have run 0.51.03 seconds which shows he hasn’t got any slower,” Eggleston said.
Bruce Hill, who trains Hidden Light, was equally philosophical about the dead heat.
“Hidden Light had no luck last start when she bungled the start and deserved a win. I suppose half a win is better than none. Anyway I can’t do much about it,” Hill said.
Trainer Kelly Schweida called on his trackwork rider Amelia Denby to help turn around the form of Dawn Fighter ($6) who won the Maiden (1300m).
“I have always had an opinion of Dawn Fighter and she showed plenty last campaign. But first up she had atrial fibrillation and ran last. Then she did nothing at her next start and I was worried,” Schweida said.
“But Amelia rides her work and rode her in a jump-out when she went well so I decided to give Amelia the race ride.”
Dawn Fighter races in the colours of the late Ross McLean whose best horse was the renowned wet-tracker Top Marc.