Trainer Liam Birchley has used kid gloves to coax Tie To Plunder give him the final leg of his first Saturday metropolitan treble at Doomben.
Time To Plunder ($12) got up in the last stride to win the Listed Keith Noud Handicap (1200m) which followed on earlier Birchley wins with Pepperano and Royal Jester.
Time To Plunder – Larry Cassidy
“I’ve had plenty of doubles but I don’t usually have a lot of runners at a metropolitan meeting to have trebles,” Birchley said.
Time To Plunder had his previous start when second in the greys’ race at Flemington on November 6.
“He is a horse that can race well when freshened up. We have done little with him since he has come back from Melbourne,” Birchley said.
Time To Plunder will now be set for the Lough Neagh Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on December 20.
Veteran trainer Darryl Gollan proved a a more than handy stand-in for his son Tony Gollan who was in Perth with Alma’s Fury for the Railway Stakes.
Darryl Gollan, who has spent most of his career in Toowoomba, has moved to Brisbane for medical treatment and has been helping his son.
He saddled up Tina Melina ($11) in the Courier-Mail+ Members Handicap and The Storeman ($4.60) in the Construction Skills Queensland Handicap. Both were impressive winners.
Gollan Snr said he wasn’t shocked when The Storeman clocked an exceptional 32.64secs for his final 600m.
“He has been racing some good horses and the 1050 metres suited him,” he said.
“We will look towards some better races with him now.”
He said Tina Melina was an above-average filly who had scored well in a maiden at her previous start when four deep most of the way.
Tina Melina was bred by Brisbane Race Club committeeman Paul Williams who put his mare Hidden Savings to Glenlogan Park sire Jet Spur.
