Carrara battles the elements
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Carrara and Nash Rawiller return to scale as wet winners (Noel Pascoe photo)
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Right on cue, the skies opened up for the first Stakes race of the day at Doomben on Saturday, May 23.
The weather leading up to the Doomben meeting had been unfavourable with a huge deluge on Wednesday leaving Brisbane saturated.
Mostly fine weather followed on the Thursday and Friday but the rain clouds were never far away and the teaming rain prior and during race two downgraded the track to a Heavy-9. Not that trainer Tony Vasil minded.
His Ballarat-trained colt named Carrara was looking for the wet and found the finish post first in the Listed Sita Environmental Doomben Slipper 1350m.
Once Carrara (C2 Elvstroem-Crystal Sprite) got to the front from barrier 15, he held his position all the way to the end with jockey Nash Rawiller in the saddle.
Choistar (Craig Williams) placed second by a half length with $101 shot Taffy (Larry Cassidy) rounding out the placings, third by two lengths.
In his prior two starts Carrara won his maiden after a protest was upheld and placed third in the Listed Blue Sapphire Stakes.
Vasil has confidence the best is yet to come from his charge and is in no rush to step him up in distance yet.
“I’d rather put him away and bring him back for the spring,” he said.
“He’s done the job.”
Carrara’s sire Elvstroem was previously trained by Vasil and he believes the stallion’s progeny are going to produce great things after Carrara gave the Danehill stallion his second Stakes winner.
“If you sit on them and give them time surely he’s going to be a great stallion,” he said. “He’s got great potential.”
Mother Nature must have a sense of humour. After the Doomben Slipper finished, the sun came out again, albeit temporarily.
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Hollie Roberts – May 25
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