Ballarat weekly racing week
MOONEE VALLEY QUADDIE
FIELD (9) – 2,6,7 – 4,9,12,13,14 – 2,5
10% = $27
BEST FROM BALLARAT STABLES
PENNON (Andrew Payne) – St Arnaurd Cup, 2000m, Saturday. Small field. Winner of only start in Australia.
KING BUDDY (Darren Weir) – open handicap, 1200m, Hamilton on Sunday. Again looks suited in small field.
BALLARAT STABLE FIRST STARTERS
SURYANA (trained by Dan O’Sullivan) – R4 St Arnaud on Saturday. Raced just the once way back in February 2010 when fourth in Ballarat maiden. First outing for this stable.
GRUBBS (John Sadler) – R4 Sale on Sunday. Pins-Dancing Mistress 3yo gelding.
ALLEN GETTING FLAT OPPORTUNITIES
IRISH jumps jockey John Allen, who now calls Ballarat home, is gradually getting more opportunities on the flat as he seeks to expand his career.
Allen has a book of four rides at Colac today, including two for the Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan.
Jungle Fighter is possibly his best winning hope after showing a return to form with a close-up third at Warrnambool on October 18.
He also has the mount on former Alice Springs maiden Jon’s Break for Ballarat’s John Dawson.
This will be the four-year-old’s second outing for Dawson after finishing seventh at Avoca a week ago.
PENNON DEBUTS FOR PAYNE
NEW Zealand galloper Pennon has his first run for Ballarat trainer Andrew Payne in the $15,000 St Arnaud Cup, 2000m, on Saturday.
Kevin Myers, who has a team based in Ballarat for the spring, gave Pennon one start for a win at Murtoa on October 6.
Payne is now the managing owner, in a syndicate which includes his sister Cathy McEvoy, of the six-year-old gelding.
Myers is a longstanding friend of the Payne family.
LEWIS SETS SALE FOR CUP
MARK Lewis is hoping things go his way on Sunday.
Lewis is making the long trip with By The Way to the gateway of Eas Gippsland to tackle the $150,000 Sale Cup, 1600m.
He is rightly feeling good about the seven-year-old.
By The Way put in one of the best runs of his career to charge home for second to the promising Fawkner in a listed event at Flemington on October 6.
Second last in a 13-strong field 400m out, By The Way did everything but win.
By The Way has not won beyond 1400m, but his last-start leaves little doubt about him getting the distance.
Regular jockey Jason Benbow will have the ride and from gate one should be able to smother up By The Way before making a late dash.
John Sadler and Tony Vasil, who also have satellite stables in Ballarat, are also chasing Sale Cup victories with last-start Bairnsdale Cup winner Prizum and Veewap respectively.
MARE TURNS TO COUNTRY CUP
EMBLEM of Liberty turns to country cup circuit in a bid to bring up her first Australian win.
She goes around in the $60,000 Hamilton Cup, 2200m, on Sunday.
The eight-year-old mare, which was a listed, and group 1, 2 and 3 winner in South Africa, has provided a major challenge to firstly Lee Freedman and Darren Weir since being imported in 2009.
Emblem of Liberty put in her best effort in two preparations last start, finishing fourth to Chateau Margaux in the Pinker Pinker Plate at Cranbourne on October 12.
While never looking like a winner, she stuck on to be within 3.3 lengths of Chateau Margaux, which went on to run second in the Geelong Cup on Wednesday.
Emblem of Liberty looks well treated with 55.5kg, just 1.5kg above the minimum.
If ever she had a chance to win, this is it.
Kevin Myers also a runner in the Hamilton Cup, with Crocodile Canyon returning for another Victorian campaign.
Third in the Terang Cup two years ago when trained by Howard Mathews, Crocodile Canyon was a listed winner back in NZ in January this year.
Myers ran the gelding in the Adelaide Cup in March and then the Oakbank Cup.
Patrick Payne then had him for one start before sending him back to NZ.
Crocodile Canyon resumed last month and this is his first Australian run this visit.
BENDIGO CUP WEIGHT FAVOUR
IMPORTED grey Puissance De Lune will get into Wednesday’s listed $250,000 Bendigo Cup, 2400m, with the minimum weight of 54kg.
Darren Weir nominated this event some time ago as a major spring target for the French stayer.
He won well at Mornington two starts ago before being a certainty beaten at Warrnambool.
Moudre and the Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock-raced Unusual Suspect share the top weight of 60kg.
Robert Smerdon has entered Innocent Lady
BALLARAT STABLE WINNERS FOR THE WEEK
VERDANT (trained by Robert Smerdon*) – Spotless Handicap, 3000m, MV, Friday night. First Australian win for this former English stayer.
LAKE SENTENTIA (Darren Weir) – City Jeep Handicap, 2040m, MV, Friday night. Three wins in a row and five wins in seven career starts.
SHAMAL WIND (Robert Smerdon) – Rokk 66 3yo fillies’ Maiden, 1000m, Ballarat, Thursday. Winner on debut.
TIGRESS JOY (Darren Weir) - Port Plant BM72 Handicap for fillies/mares, 1100m, Ballarat, Thursday.
MONDINI (Jim Mason) – maiden, 1200m, Horsham, Sunday.
GOTTINO (Ken Moore) – BM72 handicap, 1400m, Horsham, Sunday.
HOST OF THE PARTY (Robert Smerdon) – 3yo maiden, 1300m, Seymour, Sunday. Winner on debut.
ANLON (Darren Weir) – 0-62 handicap, 1200m, Seymour, Sunday. First run for stable and scores.
ANNIE’S GEM (Dan O’Sullivan – 0-68 handicap, 1300m, Avoca Saturday.
BUBBALINA (Patrick Payne*) – maiden, 1300m, Avoca, Saturday.
OUR SCHERERAZADE (Patrick Payne*) - 3yo maiden, Avoca, Saturday.
DOCTOR HILL (Robert Smerdon) – maiden, 2200m, Bendigo, Saturday.
ALSO FOLLOW TWITTER @TrackBallarat