He has a Group 3 victory - a very emotional one back in May last year - but a win for Mark Davidson in next Friday’s Black Top, on his home track Ladbrokes Gardens, would surely surpass that one.
It was scenes of unbridled joy back at Wentworth Park when Lektra Lad gave trainer Davidson and his wife Mel their first Group race victory, taking out the Group 3 Bob Payne Sprint.
But the couple now have not one, but two chances in their home feature, the Group 2 Black Top after taking out two of the five heats on Friday night.
Davidson took out the opening heat with his smart bitch Fat Boy’s Dream, and then added the fourth heat with a win from Frisky Felon.
“The Black Top is the main race here. I have won The Macca (with Rapid Dominance in 2016) and to win it while Johnny Mac (McDermott the legendary Newcastle racecaller who passed away in 2020) was alive … (but) to win a Black Top on your home track would be enormous,” Davidson said. “It’s not often I’m lost for words, but I’m just really excited for next week.
“I’m very happy with her win,” he said of Fat Boy’s Dream’s 29.54s success. “She copped a little bit of buffeting early but the box (2) helped being on the inside and when she was sitting second behind Big Boy Wilson I thought at least she will stay there, she’s tough enough to handle the onslaught, but she went past him and it was a good win.
“She has had a year to forget this year, things have gone wrong, and she had a spell just to clear her head really. There’s probably two of her - the dream and the nightmare. She was a dream tonight.
“Frisky Felon, she is an up and comer but I didn’t think she would be up to this stage in that field. I thought she might struggle to get across but she nailed the start.
“When she got to the front I thought just hang on. She’s a good handy bitch and if she can reel off the sectionals she’s a chance, but she’s probably just a touch weak over the 500, but I’m over the moon.
“We’ve got a two in eight chance next week and it’s great to have the owners here and she just keep progressing. Her mother Left Unsaid ran second to Flying Ricciardo in this race a few years back (2020).”
But it won’t be easy for the Davidsons with Victorian sprinters Head The Charge and Umberto very impressive in their first race starts at the track, and the Dennis Barnes young star Nangar Lucy who set the time standard of 29.31s, winning her heat by 8¾ lengths.
“I was very happy and when she was on the bunny she was going to be very hard to beat,” said Barnes who later came up with box 1 for the final.
Azzopardi, was delighted about Head The Charge’s performance, winning in a very slick 29.34s.
The visitor wasn’t best to jump but used the box to push up passing the post and once in front was brutal, racing away to score by 4¾ lengths from Hurricane’s Fury.
“Yeah I’m really happy with the run. He dwelt at the start a bit but I was happy how he kicked up underneath and he powered away which was good to see,” Azzopardi said.
“I’m a big wrap on him. He can run really good times this fella and I always said he could win a big race with the ability he’s got.
“He had a bad setback halfway through his career when he tore a back muscle but he’s coming back well now and I’ve got no doubt he can go quicker than what he ran tonight, he just has to get the start right.”
The other impressive Victorian was Group 1 Ladbrokes Dapto Megastar winner Umberto who took out the final heat in 29.35s. The Jason Thompson-trained star is being trained by Peter Lagoginae – who won last year’s Black Top with French Martini - during his NSW campaign.
“The sectionals were great - 4.87s and 17.11s to the back. I thought he lost the home turn there, he put in a wrong stride, but I’m pretty proud of him and I hope they are down south too,” Lagogiane said.
“I think you saw a special dog out there and I think you’ll see a pretty special final next Friday.
“Nangar Lucy went enormous and Dennis is no strange to big races and Anthony Azzopardi’s dog went enormous too and Anthony has been there done that.”
