Hermanito carried Ontrack’s all gold colours to their second win in consecutive days with a gritty display to win at Sandown today. The previous day promising colt Branksome Chimes cleared maidens with a hollow win at Ballarat for Ontrack, trainer Darren Weir and rider Brad Rawiller, and it was the same connections sharing Hermanito’s maiden win. A full-brother to Ontrack’s champion sprinter Brazen Beau, Hermanito was having his fifth race start after being placed in all his previous four starts. The horse is aptly named as Hermanito is Spanish for “little brother”. Ontrack Managing Director Grant Morgan said Hermanito was bought privately from breeder Bernie Howlett as a foal. “When Brazen Beau showed so much ability we reached an agreement with Bernie and many of the shareholders in Beau joined in the ownership group to race this bloke. “While he is a full-brother to Brazen Beau, he is a different animal in many ways. He is a longer and taller horse and has always been a horse that needed time. He gives the impression that he will get over a longer trip, whereas Beau had to confirmation of an out and out sprinter. “This bloke has taken a lot longer than Beau to pick up the racing game, but he is getting better with each race and Darren Weir has done a fantastic job to have him in the money every start. “Where he ends up remains to be seen but he is tough, and game and it won’t surprise to see him stretch out in trip as he matures and strengthens,” said Grant Morgan. Successful rider Brad Rawiller was on Hermanito for the first time and admitted to having to earn his riding fee. “Even though he was having his fifth start today, he is still very green and tended to float a lot during the running. “He got away okay and relaxed, but he relaxed too much and when I went for him in the straight he started to float. It’s like the penny hasn’t dropped with him. “He gives me the impression he has got more to give so it could be that he’s still learning his craft and his minds not on the job. “He was going away from them on the line and I’m confident that he will be better suited over more ground,” said Brad Rawiller. Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Sansadee 14 Syndicate, Judy Coleman, Denis and Margaret Frew, Mancinelli Family Syndicate, Lang Brothers Racing, Murray Cornelius, BB Racing, Beau River Racing. Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ smart colt Branksome Chimes finally raced up to his potential with an emphatic win at Ballarat today. After jumping smartly from his wide gate, the colt cruised in front for rider Brad Rawiller before running away for an easy win. Rawiller was full of praise for the colt, describing him as “city class for sure”. Purchased by Grant Morgan from Ontrack Thoroughbreds at the 2016 Inglis Classic Sale for only $55,000, Branksome Chimes is a son of Canford Cliffs and the speedy Exceed and Excel mare Optimizing. “He has always shown a lot of natural speed and ability, but unfortunately he suffered atrial fibrillation when making his debut at Wodonga in August. “He had a nice break and came back from that letup without any issues and revealed his true ability when a great second fresh-up at Cranbourne from a wide alley. “He had the misfortune to draw wide at Ballarat, but the 1100 metre races at Ballarat are run on a dog leg so he was able to get across easily and obtained the lead without too much effort. “Brad Rawiller was able to control the race and when he shot clear turning for home the race was as good as over. “He was a nice yearling and his dam was a very fast horse and Branksome Chimes looks to have inherited her speed. He’s from a nice New Zealand family and his second dam Joan’s Best was a multiple stakes winner so he is a horse who will get better with time and more experience,” said Grant Morgan. Successful rider Brad Rawiller was full of praise for Branksome Chimes after the win. “I was really impressed with his run at Cranbourne because he gave me the impression that the penny hadn’t dropped with him yet he ran so well. “He improved a tremendous amount with the experience of that Cranbourne run and today he went to the barrier with his head on his chest and was all business. “He was clearly too good for the opposition and he there’s no doubt that he’s city class for sure,” said Brad Rawiller. It was further success in the all gold Ontrack silks as he stepped in for a suspended Ben Melham at Caufield in the Group 2 How Now Stakes in September. Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Optimizing 14 Syndicate, Jane and Martin Hellyer, Mark Horn, Peter Kilday, Leigh Matthews, Dale Watts, Andrew Hall, Isaac Robinson, Murray Hanna, B and L Racing Syndicate, Mark Snowden, Denise and Mick Power, Lang Brothers Racing, Babu No 3 Syndicate. Dream Master maintained his unbeaten record this preparation with another commanding performance to win at Doomben on Australia Day. The handsome son of Dream Ahead kicked off his latest campaign when leading all the way in good time on the Gold Coast and he handled a rise in class to score a very similar win at Doomben. Rider Jeff Lloyd took the black gelding straight to the front and the result was never in doubt as Dream Master ran clear for a win in a slick time of 1.09.78, with the last 600 metres in 34. Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan said Dream Master had come back a much improved horse this campaign. “He has been a slow maturing type, but he is a lot more switched on now that he’s grown up both physically and mentally. “As a four-year-old he seems to have switched on a lot more than in early days and he’s lightly raced and was having only his 10th start when he won at Doomben. “Our policy is to be patient with all our horses and Dream Master is a classic example of what you can achieve if you give horses plenty of time. Since he came north to Toby Edmonds he has only 8 starts for three wins and three placings. “The way he’s going now suggests he hasn’t finished winning yet, so we look forward to seeing him working his way through the grades,” said Grant Morgan. Toby Edmonds was confident Dream Master would race well at Doomben and his pre-race confidence was well placed. “His work had been good leading into the Doomben run and when there were quite a few scratchings it made things a lot easier for him. “Jeff was keen to lead on him and we think he’s been a lot better racehorse since we became more positive with him. He tends to concentrate more if you push forward and he really took charge of his Gold Coast and Doomben races from the jump and never looked in any danger. “Jeff was quite happy with the Doomben run but is convinced that the horse is best at 1200 metres at this stage of his career as he may tend to over-race if we tried him in a slower run race over a longer trip. “He has come out of his latest run in good order and we will just poke around with him and find another suitable 1200 metre target for him in the weeks ahead,” said Toby Edmonds. Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Thoroughbred No 1 Syndicate, Lang Brothers Racing, Mark Snowden, Dave Moretti, Mark Ostermeyer, Gordon Campbell, Leah Gavranich, Luke Covey, B and L Racing, Louise Mancinelli, Wayne and Paddi Muller, Alan Satchell, Beau River Racing, Greg Bowers, Stefan Marinkovic, Lisa Saxton, Ken Stocks, Ryan Lawlor. Good looking galloper Aqua Delago kicked off his winning account with a comprehensive maiden victory at Toowoomba. A three-year-old son of former champion South African sprinter Delago Deluxe and Aqualuna, Aqua Delago started life with Chris Waller Racing in Sydney before being transferred to Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie. He had two starts for his new stable for a close second and a fifth off a wide draw before clearing maidens with a three-length win two days before Christmas. “He was a lovely yearling and has developed into a very nice style of horse,” said Ontrack Managing Director Grant Morgan. “Chris gave him only the one start and he went okay after dipping badly on jumping, however Chris felt he may be better placed in Queensland, so we were happy to send him to Ben Currie. “Ben has been on our radar for a while now and it was simply a matter of finding the right horse for him. “Aqua Delago is a BOBS horse so Ben will get the chance to head south over the border for some bonus money when the right races present,” said Grant Morgan. Trainer Ben Currie was impressed with Aqua Delago’s winning effort after starting from the outside barrier of 10. “I thought long and hard about running him, but finally decided to run as I thought he could be ridden positively and get over to the lead. Apprentice Baylee Nothdurft carried out these instructions perfectly and he got a comfortable lead and won with some authority. an go on with that and add to his tally in this campaign,” said Ben Currie. Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Aqualuna Syndicate, Mark Snowden, Barbara Gilbert, Denis and Margaret Frew, Garry and Jenny Webster, Friendship Racing Syndicate, Dr David Worthley, Fine Dining Syndicate, Denis and Glenys Knobel, Gordon Henry, Boyd Bignell and Judy Gardner. A positive ride again provided the winning formula when Dream Master scored a convincing win in slick time at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Dream Master was fresh up at the Gold Coast after two good lead-in trials and rider Bridget Grylls followed trainer Toby Edmonds’ pre-race instructions perfectly as she bounced the horse to an early lead. Dream Master had no pressure in front and he shook off his rivals in the run home to clear out for a five-length win in 1.09.79, not far from the class record. “He seems to have strengthened up since his last campaign and he does respond to a positive ride,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan. “When he cleared maidens at Ballina he drew gate 13 in the 14-strong field and after Toby Edmonds decided to put blinkers on and ride positively he scored by six lengths. “The blinkers certainly had him a lot more focused, but it looks like he races more generously when allowed to run along. It seems that he loses concentration when cluttered up amongst rivals, so that might be the way to ride him. “He was having his seventh start for Toby since coming north from Sydney and he’s won twice and been placed three times, so he’s pretty genuine,” said Grant Morgan. Bought by Ontrack from Emirate Parks draft at the 2015 Inglis Classic Sale for $60,000, Dream Master is by Dream Ahead from the Exceed and Excel mare Excellent Lady. The purchase proved astute because not long after the sale, Excellent Lady’s first foal started racing and named Petits Filou, she went on to win her first four races, including the Group 3 Quezette Stakes at Flemington. “She ended up winning five of her 10 starts and then sold in May at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale for $1.15 million. Trainer Toby Edmonds was impressed with Dream Master’s win. “It’s fair to say he hasn’t had a lot of luck in his first preparation with a succession of wide draws and on one occasion he bucked after the start when it looked like he was pinched by the girth. “His trials leading into the race were good and Bridget Grylls did the right thing by letting him roll along and then getting off the fence into the turn because the inside was off. “Dream Master is a strong gelding and now that he’s got that bit of confidence we can try and work him through his grades. He’s got a great attitude and does everything you ask him to do without fuss so hopefully there’s more in store for him,” said Toby Edmonds. Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Thoroughbred No 1 Syndicate, Lang Brothers Racing, Mark Snowden, Dave Moretti, Mark Ostermeyer, Gordon Campbell, Leah Gavranich, Luke Covey, B and L Racing, Louise Mancinelli, Wayne and Paddi Muller, Alan Satchell, Beau River Racing, Greg Bowers, Stefan Marinkovic, Lisa Saxton, Ken Stocks, Ryan Lawlor. |
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