Cushion Track opens with an explosion of success

Well ahead, Gun Salute and Dale Evans head for a home in the  history books (Trackside Photography)

Gun Salute opened the Sunshine Coast Cushion Track with a bang after claiming the SCCT Maiden Plate 1600m by four lengths.

This was the first race on the new synthetic track and trainer Barry Baldwin was happy with the way the race panned out. “I think in the future a lot of horses will excel on this track compared to the grass form and that’s what it’s all about. It’s a great added amenity to our racing. Our instructions were to play it by ear and let the horse do its own thing. We were going to try and ride him from behind but that all went up in the air at the start the moment he jumped so well. Most of the time my instructions to the jockey is to let the horse travel wherever he is but don’t go three or four wide,” he said.

“We have the dirt track down there which isn’t the same but it does have some similarity but I think it is a bit like the old Albion Park until you try them you won’t know.”

This was Gun Salute’s (H4 Irgun USA-Al Norrant) first win and jumping from barrier 10 with jockey Dale Evans aboard they got a great start after hitting the front and sticking there for the 1600m journey.

Race favourite Monchenglabach (Damien Brown) finished second with Little Havanna (Jason Taylor) third a length behind.

Evans was happy to get a win on the track, “It was good especially when you win by four lengths on the horse. Underneath is good, you can’t really feel the ground. It’s very soft and all horses seem to get through with it. Probably have an advantage if your up on the speed and sneak away on the corner but it seems to give most horses fair chances and I can’t have a problem with the track,” he said.

Being the first race, the track record is now held at 1-36.42. “It’s great seeing that I didn’t have any trials and hadn’t been on the track. I did draw that wide alley and I was a bit concerned, it’s only about 100m to that first turn after the mile, but the horse began ok and the two outside me crossed early on and I was able to kick up inside them and dictate in front and the horse is always going to win,” said Evans.

Evans also found success that day on the Robert Heathcote-trained Malta in the feature race, the Equestrian Surfaces Cushion Track Cup.

Jason Holder and Ken Pope also had a successful day on the Cushion Track both riding doubles. 

Holder won on the Rex Lipp-trained Body Double in the Des Scanlan OAM Memorial Maiden Plate 1600m and the Bruce McLachlan-trained Cap Riviera in the Contour Consulting Engineers Handicap 2000m.

Sunshine Coast jockey, Pope’s first win came on the Mick Mair-trained Powerful Elements in the sixth, the Blacklaw Civil Contractors Class 1 Handicap 1400m. His second win came for Sunshine Coast Troy Hall on Alpha Gun in the Magic Millions Class 2 Handicap 1000m.

The Corbould Park Maiden Plate 1100m was won by Diamond Sapphire, trained by local Stewart Mackinnon and ridden by Jason Taylor.

Hawkeye Pierce found success in the Energex Community Rescue Helicopter QTIS Maiden Plate 1000m after a thrilling demonstration by the rescue chopper. Scott Galloway had the ride on the colt trained by Robert Bradshaw.

Warwick trainer Max Price had a win half way through the day with Double Glow ridden by Kelvin Wharton in the Sunshine Coast Maiden Plate 1100m.

Apprentice jockey Michael Hughes finished the day with a win on Sunshine Coast trainer Trevor Miller’s Caesar’s Jewel.

The 10 race card with over 300 nominations provided the racing community the opportunity to be a part of the history making event and all reports on the Cushion
Track were positive.

QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Hollie Roberts – April 10