Luai Gets It Right This Time

By Jeff Collerson
Agland Luai had been beaten nine times at Wentworth Park since winning there in February but he nailed the start perfectly to produce a personal best 29.46 in taking out Saturday night's 520m Free-For-All.

Named after the Penrith rugby league star Jarome Luai, Agland Luai scored his ninth Wentworth Park win for trainer Jay Opetaia in his all-the-way five lengths defeat of hot favourite Mortified.

The runner-up was far from disgraced as she missed the jump from box four and was giving the tearaway pacemaker, the winner, an impossible start at the half-way mark.


Whiskey Cobbler also recorded easily his best Wentworth Park time when he ran down his kennelmate My Hepburn to win a 520m fifth grade on Saturday in 29.63.

My Hepburn, trained at Branxton by Susan Smith, made the pace but kennelmate Whiskey Cobbler, who settled in second position, finished powerfully to score by three lengths in time that was well inside his previous Wenty time standard of 29.90.

Boom puppy Zipping Megatron, who had won in scorching times of 29.42 and 29.44 at Wentworth Park on October 13 and 20, took 29.85 to win on Saturday but his performance was equally impressive as his previous successes.

On Saturday night Zipping Megatron had box three and was severely inconvenienced soon after the start by the wide running Good Pub Feed in box two.

Zipping Megatron was a distant fourth on the back straight but after being third turning for home he drew away to score by two lengths.

Trainer Jason Magri said: "I was impressed the way he handled himself in the field after that early trouble.

"When he took off down the back straight I held my breath because I thought he was going to get knocked down but he went straight between the dogs ahead of him.''


Blue Goose Boy, who was once considered unlikely to run a strong 520m, notched his fifth Wentworth Park win in 11 appearances when he took out a fifth grade on Saturday in 29.90.

Owner-breeder Dawn Garrett said: "Early in his career Blue Goose Boy's trainer Daniel Gatt and I were concerned he wasn't going to be a 520m proposition because he put so much effort into his races that he tended to pull up somewhat distressed.

"But with maturity he has become a really good race dog, although I only wish he would jump away a bit better.

"He had box seven tonight but I like him out there because due to his lack of speed out of the boxes, he seems to have less chance of finding trouble when he draws wide.''


Trunkey Mink, one of the two heat winners from last week's GBOTA Maiden Series, was sent out as a $10 roughie in Saturday night's final but led throughout.

Owned and trained by his breeder Tony Godden, Trunkey Mink led throughout in her heat in 30.34 and after posting slick early splits of 5.39 and 13.88 trimmed those figures to 30.32 in Saturday's final.

After the race Tony Godden said: "Trunkey Mink is from the first litter whelped by Riley's Mariah, who won five races for me.

"She had eight puppies to Fernando Bale and the best of them are yet to come.

"Actually Trunkey Chief, who finished fifth in tonight's final, is a bit quicker than the winner.

"But Trunkey Mink has good box manners and early speed and that has made the difference in their races.''

Chasing Fernando, who only became eligible for veteran races when he turned four on Friday, lifted his earnings to $102,550 24 hours later when he came from third going through the catching pen to win a Masters event in 30.43.

Isle Of Rose maintained her remarkably consistent form in Saturday's Bitches Only Final when she came from third early to score a three lengths win in 29.79.

It was the eighth win in 10 starts for the Troy Macdonald owned and trained daughter of Barcia Bale and Hello Mavis.