NSW Northern Rivers galloper Dantga put on a rodeo performance and parted company with his jockey on the way to the barriers before maintaining an unbeaten record at Doomben on Saturday.
Jockey Matt Bennett dusted himself off and then steered the favourite Dantga ($2) to his fourth win from four starts in the Balmerino Handicap (1100m).
Dantga
It was a triumph for former blacksmith Daniel Want who has only been training for 18 months following the death of his father, respected Grafton trainer Graeme Want.
Dantga was Daniel’s first Brisbane runner but the pair will back for similar races after the gelding has a short spell.
Want said Dantga had untapped ability and he had always believed he was up to city class.
“I didn’t see the incident on the way to the barriers but he can sometimes be a handful on the training track,” Want said.
“He has been up since Christmas so he really has done a good job.”
Dantga, which is a five-year-old, is lucky to be racing at all after he contracted pneumonia when he was being broken in.
The gelding has had major respiratory problems which only cleared in the past year.
Bennett, who rarely makes the trip to Brisbane, has a high opinion of Dantga.
“I wasn’t going to miss the chance to win on him,” he said.
Bed-ridden trainer Toby Edmonds missed his stable getting a double with Segenhoe gallopers Martilago ($21) and Lesley’s Choice ($4).
“Dad and just about the whole staff have been hit hard by the `flu and lucky it doesn’t impact on the horses as well,” said Edmonds’ son Trent.
“We have had a great association with Segenhoe in the past two years and to get a city double with well-bred mares is great for us and them.”
Trainer Rob Heathcote’s decision to back up Jopa and drop the gelding back in distance proved a winner in the Cargo Transport Systems Handicap (1200m).
Jopa, backed from $11 to $7.50, gave jockey Jeff Lloyd a winning double when he stormed home to beat the favourite Suit ($2.60) by 1-3/4 lengths.
