Trainer Kelly Schweida was feeling old when promising two-year-old Ready To Bolt scored an impressive midweek win at Doomben.
Jockey Les Till set a slow early pace to lead all of the way to win the TAB 2YO Class 2 (1350m) on Wednesday.
Ready To Bolt is by top Queensland sire Better Than Ready out of the handy race mare Vital Page and had won a maiden at the Gold Coast last month.
“Nothing more can make you feel old than when you train a horse to win and you had trained its father and mother,” Schweida said.
“Ready To Bolt is a nice horse and that was a well above average midweek field. I think he might go on from here to give the McLean family another good horse.”
The late Ross McLean was one of Schweida’s main supporters when he first moved to Brisbane from North Queensland 25 years ago.
After McLean died in 2005 his family continued to race horses in his colours and Schweida has had a lot of success for them most notably with prolific wet track winner Top Marc.
Trainer Steve O’Dea also had plenty of memories when Keen On Gold ($1.50) won a Maiden Handicap (1350m) despite missing the start by three lengths.
Keen on Gold is raced by Joe Rapisarda who has had horses with O’Dea and his father Graham for 30 years.
“Joe has been terrific for our family and he breeds a lot his horses. I trained Keen On Gold’s dam (Ring Me Ruby) and her grand dam (Belong To You) so it is becoming a dynasty,” O’Dea said.
Deagon trainer Selina Leef was quick to check the photo finish when eight-year-old Debonair Des won a Maiden Handicap (1640m) at his 25th start.
Leef thought Debonair Des had won his previous start at Kilcoy when he was initially declared the winner in a tight finish.
But stewards later found the judge had erred and Debonair Des was relegated to second.
“Debonair Des deserved the win and I am really happy for (jockey) Michael (Schrapel) as he does a lot of work with him,” Leef said.
Schrapel mainly rides on country and provincial tracks and this was only his third metropolitan win.
Trainer Barry Baldwin is looking at a return to Saturday racing for Dashing Special after the gelding won the BRC Handicap (2040m).
Dashing Special has won twice and four minor placings since heading north from Sydney late last year.
