Exciting littermates Isle’s Entity and Al’s Entity have bookended a memorable 24 hours for Michelle Sultana and connections with the Victorian pair winning both the Maitland and Bulli regional finals of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase (MDC).
The Sultana-Darryl Thomas-Paul Abela training triangle working wonders yet again after previous caretaker success with other Victorian-based dogs Aston Ulysses and Panadero Warrior.
It was Isle’s Entity who got the ball rolling on Monday evening, taking out the Maitland MDC decider in a time of 24.98.
She beat home a crack field including the John and Minnie Finn-trained Group 1 winners Zipping Remus and Zipping Orlando, as well as runner-up Twin Turbo and third placegetter (and kennelmate) Fernando Rocker.
“She [Isle’s Entity] just missed the scramble to the first turn and that’s what won her the race really,” Sultana said.
“Once they all straightened up and started getting through their gears, they were coming, and if it was another 100m, Minnie [Finn] might have won, but Isle’s Entity was able to avoid it all and shoot away.”
The daughter of Collision out of Zara’s Entity lucky to even get a run in the final, only gaining a start following two key scratching’s in the lead up to the race.
“We had Tulsa King in but he hurt a shoulder in the heats so we knew straight away we would have to scratch him. Then we found out Minnie [Finn] had scratched the first reserve as well and Isle’s Entity was in,” Sultana said.
“And we were so glad she got a run because she was so unlucky in the heats. She should have won that race and gone through, so it was a bit disappointing initially but she turned that around.”
Sultana and Thomas not even finding the time to celebrate the victory after arriving back at their Londonderry base at 1:30am.
The pair waking five-and-a-half hours later to work some dogs on their property before heading to Richmond to trial.
Sultana eventually hopping back in the van at midday on Tuesday and making the trip to Bulli where Al’s Entity surged home to make it a day-to-day MDC double.
“I had my heart in my mouth watching him. It was a big run, and I couldn’t believe he actually got there,” Sultana said.
The Group 1 Vic Peters Classic placegetter defying a mid-race traffic jam to launch late and grab the Neville Brown-trained Eyes To Eyes in the shadows of the post.
“These two [Isle’s and Al’s Entity] came up to us from Paul [Abela] and him and Darryl came up with the idea to go to Maitland and Bulli with them,” Sultana said.
“We trialled them both at the tracks for some experience and it’s nice when a plan works out. Darryl and Paul have a really good relationship, Paul trusts us with his dogs and he believes if you want to really have a go at these big races, you can’t travel up and down the highway every week with them.”
Al's Entity has earnt over $70,000 from his 17 career starts and is already a Group 1 placegetter and Group 3 winner
The promising young duo earning themselves a ticket to the October 6 semi-finals at Wentworth Park, much to the delight of the Victorian-based owners Michael and Maureen Barry.
“Maureen is currently living it up on the Gold Coast with one of our daughters and they are out having some wine at the pub. I’m back at home with a few stubbies of Carlton Dry holding the fort and watching the dogs,” Michael laughed.
The 73-year-old lauding the partnership between the Victorian-based Abela and NSW-based Sultana.
“Paul and Michelle swap dogs all the time and it seems to work. Paul tries to place his dogs where they can win and he thought Isle’s Entity, being quicker early, would suit Maitland while the stronger dog, Al’s Entity, would suit Bulli,” Michael said.
“Isle’s Entity is certainly the better beginner and always has been but Al’s Entity looks like he could be the better of the two. So now all I ask is for the million-dollar race to be moved to Bulli, but that probably can’t happen can it?” he added in jest.
Eyes To Eyes and the Garry Coles-prepared Lidsdale Road also advance to the MDC semi-finals from the Bulli decider.
The semi-finals of the 2023 Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase will be held at Wentworth Park on October 6. The final will be run on October 13.
Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase semi-finalists (L-R) Eyes To Eyes, Al's Entity and Lidsdale Road
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