By David Nagel
Cranbourne trainer Greg Eurell and jockey Cory Parish obviously enjoyed their week’s rest from the racetrack with the pair hooking up for an early double at Pakenham on Saturday.
Racing Victoria’s (RV) decision to have no racing last week – from Monday 26 through to Friday 30 July – met mixed reaction from industry leaders and participants.
Victorian trainers still had to attend early morning trackwork, but were given a five-day break from afternoon raceday activities following in-depth discussions with industry participant groups.
Saturday’s return to the track also coincided with the last day before horses celebrated their annual birthday on August 1.
Eurell and Parish wasted no time in making up for lost ground with a barnstorming running double in the first two races on the card.
The first to salute was Eurell’s three-year-old filly – now four-year-old mare – Casa Bendita who celebrated her last day as a filly with a stunning come-from-behind debut victory in the $23,000 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m).
Parish gave the daughter of Cluster/Dena plenty of time to settle after easing out of a hot contest up front.
Parish peeled Casa Bendita to the middle of the Pakenham synthetic track as the field wheeled for home but looked no hope of catching the runaway leader – the $2.10 favourite Glamzelle.
But Casa Bendita – under the aggressive urgings of Parish – hit top gear just in the nick of time to gather in the favourite in the shadows of the post.
Casa Bendita hit the line hard in a manner that suggests she will be stepped up to 1400 or a mile in no time.
Punting supporters of the Eurell camp would have been thrilled with the $12 on offer, but were cheering even louder after Redempt scored a fantastic debut victory in the second edition of the $23,000 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m).
Redempt – who just like Casa Bendita was having his first start on his last day as a three-year-old – gave his rivals a huge head start before unleashing a withering burst over the last 200-metres of the race.
The son of Cluster/Angel of Capri – gave his sire a winning double after storming home after still being tenth with just 400 metres left to run.
Redempt won at the juicy starting price of $20 – giving Eurell supporters a $240 double to start the day. And the rewards didn’t end there, with both Casa Bendita and Redempt earning their owners – Larneuk Stud – a $20,000 VOBIS Gold 3YO Bonus for winning each race.
It looks everything was arranged for a big sting…and everything went according to plan!
Eurell and Parish did have to share top honours on Saturday however, with jockeys Jack Hill and Jake Noonan also scoring winning doubles on the nine-race program.
Hill struck in quick succession, first in race three with a narrow victory on the Dean Binaisse-trained Orrong Road, before backing up with a race-to-race double aboard Ronin, for the Mick Price/Michael Kent Jnr stable.
Ronin, now a Reward For Effort/Captivating Lady four-year-old gelding, hit the track for the first time on the Pakenham synthetic back on July 10.
He obviously improved from his plain debut effort, coming from midfield on the turn to trounce his rivals by two lengths on the line.
Ronin continued a familiar pattern for the day, with unraced or lightly-raced three year olds getting the job done just hours before turning four.
Noonan, meanwhile, spaced his winners out a little more evenly across the day, first scoring in race five aboard the Ben and JD Hayes-trained Tipperary Lass, before striking again in race eight for Bendigo-based trainer Kym Hann.
Noonan took Hann’s five-year-old gelding Pal’s Reward straight to the front from gate one and was never headed, easing to a four-length victory in the $22,000 0-58 Handicap (1000m).
Pal’s Rewards has been super consistent in similar class since breaking his maiden status at Echuca in December last year. He has now scored two wins and six placings from his 14 career starts and accumulated just over $50,000 in prizemoney.
Pakenham’s next scheduled meeting has been put down for Tuesday, 17 August.
