Maitland Gold Cup winner Black Forge reveled in being back at one of his favourite tracks, to take a step towards the TAB Million Dollar Chase semi-finals on Thursday night.
Only last Friday, Black Forge was expected to be a threat in the Richmond heats of the series, but he disappointed, missing the Regional Final. So trainer Darren Sultana headed straight for a track where his dog has enjoyed great success, Maitland.
“It was good to have this as a perfect back-up straight away,” Sultana said. “He missed a run when a meeting was called off, and I was hoping he would jump to the front at Richmond on Friday and hold on despite getting tired.
“But he was a bit slow to jump, couldn’t cross, got clipped at the catching pen, and then obviously weakened.
“But it’s worked out OK having Maitland to come to and now hopefully he’ll be even better next week.”
Black Forge - who had now won six of nine starts over the 450m at Maitland - led throughout in 25.10s, but had to stave off a late challenges from Ronny and Cee Jay’s Boy, a head separating the first two and another head between second and third. Victorian Flynn was just ¾ length away in fourth, and doing enough to qualify for the Maitland Regional Final next Thursday.
The biggest shock from the Maitland heats however was the failure of Golden Easter Egg champion ZIPPING Bailey to qualify for next week’s Regional Final.
Having her first run in two months, trainer Jason MACKAY expected she would be underdone but believed she would qualify and be much better in the final.
But being slow out as usual, then checked off heels on the home turn, ZIPPING Bailey never really got going and managed to beat just one home.
MACKAY will still have the option of heading to Wentworth Park for a final round of qualifiers on October 5.
The heat was taken out in impressive fashion by the Ron Marsden-trained Hardaway Titan, who, with the win, improved his record to a remarkable 21 wins from 28 starts with four placings thrown in.
Showing great speed to lead, Hardaway Titan gave nothing else a chance, roaring away to win in 24.95s.
ZIPPING Bailey’s kennelmate Flying Bazza ran on strongly for second 1¼ lengths away with No Rules a further two lengths back in third. Rank outsider Double MACK finished fourth and booked a Regional Final berth.
“It was good to see him get out of the boxes very well. When he jumps and gets running he can get going early, and we had to. We knew they were coming,” Marsden said.
Marsden had campaigned both Hardaway Titan and Cee Jay’s Boy in Victoria for the Healesville Cup and believed the travel may have taken its toll on the pair leading into Maitland.
“I was a little bit worried because I trialled him (Hardaway Titan) at Bulli last Friday and he didn’t go well, but I think the travel and everything caught up with them both, so I was waiting to see how they would go here.
“It’s going to be a real strong final.”
The box draw for the final is: 1 No Rules 2 Flying Bazza 3 Double Back 4 Cee Jay’s Boy 5 Flynn 6 Ronny 7 Hardaway Titan 8 Black Forge 9 ZIPPING Bailey 10 Willoughby.
