Yellowstone Continues To Be A Success

By Jeff Collerson
On a night of fast times at Wentworth Park on Saturday none went quicker than Mr Yellowstone but there are no ambitious plans for the dog who has now won seven from nine starts and is unbeaten in four races this preparation.

On Saturday Mr Yellowstone was third early but swept around the pacemakers Whirlwind Ethics and Micky Leap to hit the front leaving the back straight.

He careered away to win by six lengths in 29.68, well inside his previous best Wentworth Park time of 29.91.

After the event trainer Andy Lord said: "I don't have any special race in mind for Mr Yellowstone, I just wanted to get him back up to 520m races and will take it from there.

"His three previous races this campaign had been over 440m at Goulburn and I wanted to see how he would go over 520m before mapping out any big plan.''


Saturday's top grade race was taken out by the Craig Chappelow-trained Embrace, who atoned for a desperately unlucky fourth at Wentworth Park a week earlier to win by two lengths in 29.71.

After being third away Embrace hit the front on the back straight and surged four lengths ahead, before comfortably holding off Fascinate Mel in the straight.

Quantifiable, a litter sister to Modern Swinger, the NSW representative in next week's National Sprint Championship in Melbourne, took her Wentworth Park tally to five wins from eight starts with an all-the-way four lengths romp in 29.78 on Saturday.

Trainer Chris O'Brien said later: "I took Modern Swinger to Melbourne on Wednesday for a trial over The Meadows 525m Championship course and although he 'lost' the first turn, he clocked 30.24.

"Apparently the surface was on the slow side and only a couple of other dogs trialled faster so I was happy with how he went considering it was his first run on the track.''


Lidsdale Road's box manners have been costly but the dog began better than usual in third spot on Saturday and drove through in tenacious fashion to lead at the first turn.

Then, despite running wide going through the pen, the Garry Coles-trained dog came away to win by nearly four lengths in 29.87, equalling his previous best Wentworth Park time.

"I expected him to run well because he recently trialled brilliantly at Dapto, running the sort of time that Chris O'Brien's outstanding bitch Mortified clocks there,'' Coles said.

"Lidsdale Road has now won 13 from 26 starts but his record would be even better if his box manners were not so ordinary.''


Snowman has lived in the shadow of his more famous litter brother Showman Jack but it was his turn to shine on Saturday when the John Smart-trained dog led all the way in 29.75, well inside his previous best time of 29.94.

Saturday's especially strong fourth grade was won by the Shaun Evans-trained Rockstar Apollo, who led all the way from box one and held off a late challenge from Bailey Bear to win by a half length in 29.83.

Tonsils, who got his name due to the constantly inflamed tissues at the back of his throat, led throughout to win in 30.25 for trainer Mark Farrugia on Saturday night.

"He has always had so much trouble with his tonsils that the name was a logical one for him,'' Farrugia said.

"And since he had them removed he is racing a lot better.''