Wharton conquers Rockhampton
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Paris Boy claims the spoils on the new Rockhampton course proper |
Paris Boy continued his reign of the north Queensland racing circuit by completing a hat trick of wins, culminating in the $20,000 Contour Consulting Engineers Cup Open Handicap 1300m on Friday, January 29.
The six-year-old gelding won the feature race at the grand opening raceday of the $6.5m Rockhampton course proper.
It was his first foray into open company after winning his last two Class 6 starts at Mackay and Townsville in December.
Jockey Kelvin Wharton and the Mark Cochrane-trained Paris Boy (Oarsman-Rapid Lass) crept up on the inside after the home turn. Sitting just behind the leaders, Gobou (Carly Mae-Pye) and Red Story (Adrian Coome), in the long Rockhampton straight, they soon made their move and powered home to hold on by a neck to win.
“He had the run of the race just in behind the leaders,” said Wharton. “The leaders rolled off so he never had to go around a horse. Everything just opened up beautiful for him.”
Flying Test (David Simmons) overcame plenty of trouble in his travels during the race to claim second place with Red Story a half length behind.
As $1.70 race favourite, Gobou placed a disappointed sixth after over racing and not producing the required goods in the closing stages of the race.
The win was the fourth of the day for Wharton, bringing him into the history books for achieving half the card at the course opening.
Hailing from Pie Creek, near Gympie, Wharton won the first ever race on the new track aboard the Peter Fleming-trained race favourite Space Gal. His other two wins were also aboard the Fleming horses Craiglea Falcon and Craiglea Blondie.
Wharton was pleased with his historical achievement. “I’ve been going up there riding on the dirt track while that’s been open so it was nice just to get on the grass,” he said.
“I had a handy book of rides. Those horses we took up to Mackay a fortnight before and they all raced nice but they’d all been racing good enough and thereabout.”
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Kelvin Wharton aboard Craiglea Blondie for his third win from an eventual four (Darcy Digby photos)
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Not surprisingly after his success, Wharton had nothing but good things to say about the track, echoing the sentiments of other feedback received about the new course proper.
“Of course I love it,” he joked before giving his full assessment.
“It is a very nice track…a nice surface.
“It gives everything every chance. Very seldom is there going to be much excuse for many horses.”
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Hollie Roberts – February 1
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