All eyes were on the pair of Jason Thompson’s runners at Wagga Wagga on Friday night in the heats of the TAB Million Dollar Chase, but only one of the pair literally delivered.
Most had expected both of Thompson’s pair, Black Opium and Deliver, to win their respective heats, and the markets also indicated that thinking.
But while Deliver did exactly that, Black Opium suffered a shock defeat in her heat, however she will still be a part of next weekend’s Regional Final.
Deliver did exactly what most anticipated. He jumped to the lead and off he went, showing he is not only a contender to win the Wagga Regional Final on Saturday September 28, but is a serious contender in the TAB Million Dollar Chase.
He clocked a stunning 29.71s, that was 0.22s – more than three lengths – inside the old track record set by Good Odds Buddy back in May.
“Obviously drawing the red was pretty helpful but he had never been here before and coming off a fall (at Horsham last start) we just wanted him to get around safely and he sort of exceeded that,” said Jason’s wife Seona.
“The fall was really nasty, he ended up in the centre of the track and fortunately he came through it pretty much unscathed, which was a bit of a miracle. I was at home and I was waiting for Jason to call with bad news.
“Thankfully he came through it well but you never know what it will do to their confidence. It hasn’t hurt his at all.
“To be honest I had no idea of what the times were here and one of the local said I think you just have broken the record. It’s a huge thrill. We’ve never been to Wagga before … they mightn’t let us back in.”
Fellow Victorian Extra Gear, tried hard, but he was never going to catch the flying Deliver, and finished nine lengths adrift of the flying star. Third went to Sunlit Conswala a further 3½ lengths behind.
Deliver, a multiple Group 1 winner who took out the Vic Peters at Wentworth Park last year, improved his record to 22 wins from 41 starts with Friday’s success.
Black Opium’s story was significantly different. She stepped moderately from her box seven draw, but couldn’t cross and found herself in traffic heading into the back.
Most would have still expected her to run down the leaders when she got clear air, but she seemed to blunder a little heading into the top turn, and while she managed to run into second she was not going to catch the winner, the Brian Smith-trained Ultimate Speed.
The winner clocked 30.04s with Black Opium a length back in second, posting 30.11s herself.
Seona was not too disappointed with the run of Black Opium.
“I think she just pretty much got lost. I don’t think there is more too it. There was nothing wrong with her run, sometimes I think we just expect a lot from her and she is still quite young but because she’s done so much, and has such a big wrap on her, people expect more. But we weren’t disappointed with her run and we just hoped to get through to next Saturday and they have both done that.”
Another Victorian took out the second heat but it wasn’t the one most expected.
Favourite Lucy’s Milo who defeated Feral Franky in the Speed Star last weekend, was disappointing, slowly away and never in the hunt, finishing fourth and missing the Regional Final.
The race was won by There’s A Catch who flew out of the boxes and was never threatened clocking 29.97s. Local dog Fire and Smoke finished second 2½ lengths away, with Ballistic Yaala a distant third.
The box draw for the final is: 1 Ultimate Speed 2 Extra Gear 3 Deliver 4 Perfect Marshall 5 Black Opium 6 Fire And Smoke 7 There’s A Catch 8 Sunlit Conswala 9 Ballistic Yaala 10 Ayo Joy.
