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Provincial Racing NSW

BEER’S MAIDEN HOME DOUBLE NEARLY A SPECIAL TREBLE



MITCH Beer’s first home track double at Kembla Grange on Saturday almost became a treble to really savour.

Beer’s decision to relocate from his Albury base 12 months ago to become a provincial trainer continues to pay dividends.

He made it 10 wins already in the new season when Brazil and Artful Persuasion – both $8.50 chances – book-ended the Kembla Grange program.

And he also went close to causing the upset of the meeting when Sunrise ($8) gave backers of hotpot Smashing Time ($1.26) one hell of a fright in the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1200m) before being caught in the closing stages after tearing out with a big lead in the small field of five.

“It was a very good day getting my first Kembla Grange double, and nearly a huge day,” Beer said on Sunday morning.

“Our horses are racing well at home, and I’m trying to target races with them here as much as I can.

“It’s a great track, and they’re racing for great prizemoney.”

Brazil took the opening race, the CG&E Maiden Handicap (1500m), and Artful Persuasion landed the closer, the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m).

Ironically, Beer admitted regretting for a time taking a phone call from Tricolours Racing’s James Moss about training the well-named Brazil, the first foal of their dual Group 3 winner Pecans (Gosford Belle Of The Turf and Hawkesbury Crown).

Brazil (a son of Pierro) was initially a $580,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase in 2022, and was put on the market in late March this year after only three starts, which yielded a Newcastle 1300m Maiden placing earlier that month.

“Being Pecans’ first foal, Tricolours decided to buy him back after he ran fourth at Kembla Grange 13 days after his Newcastle placing, and asked me about taking him on,” Beer explained.

“They got him for $25,000, and for quite a while there I regretted taking that phone call from James because Brazil was a very difficult horse to train.

“He was just about unrideable, and the staff have done a terrific job getting him going.

“Brazil is now a four-year-old gelding, and I like him.

“I’m sure he is going to develop into a nice stayer, and be a very handy midweek and Midway horse.

“We’ll take him next to Newcastle on November 2 for a 1600m Class 1 Handicap.”

Beer paid $40,000 for Artful Persuasion at the 2022 Inglis Classic yearling sale, and the four-year-old son of Flying Artie has now won twice and finished second twice from seven starts, and more than recouped that outlay.

“Artful Persuasion ran those consecutive seconds at Kembla Grange on August 31 and September 14, and then struck a heavy track here next time and didn’t handle it,” Beer said.

“He was a different horse back on a good surface on Saturday, and it was pleasing to see him finish off in the manner he did.”

Beer paid tribute to Newcastle jockey Blake Spriggs, who rode his maiden home track double and also Sunrise in his bold bid to upset Smashing Time.

“Blake rode his first winner (Buzz ‘N’ Joe) for me at Nowra in December 2022 when I was still at Albury, and took a couple of horses there for a Showcase meeting,” he said.

“After his stint in Queensland and returning home to Newcastle, he rang me a couple of months back to ask if he could ride another of my horses (Zipitalist) at Newcastle on July 13.

“Zipitalist was an emergency and I didn’t think he would get a run, but Blake knew there were enough scratchings and I was happy to put him on.

“He won on the horse, and I was very impressed with his ride.

“Things have flowed from there, and we have now formed a very good association.

“We both get on well, and my owners like him as well.

“Blake is hellbent on getting the best out of every horse he rides.”

Spriggs has now ridden seven winners, including two in a row on This Is The Moment at Kembla Grange on September 14 and 28.

Leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price rarely miss at a home meeting, and Smashing Time did the job for the father and son combination at his first start as a three-year-old.

The Brave Smash gelding, who broke through at home in April, was having his first start since contesting feature two-year-old events at the Brisbane winter carnival.

. Illawarra Turf Club’s Saturday meeting honoured the club’s newest inductees as Hall Of Fame Legends.

The late premiership winning jockeys Norm Munsie and Harold Light and trainer and master horseman Kevin Robinson all had races named after them and have had their achievements and contributions recognised with the club’s top honour.

The trio join the original ITC Legends inductees, trainers Gwenda Markwell and Bede Murray, jockey Cliff Clare, and the club’s initial secretary Julie Humphries.

ITC chairman Barry Vandenbergh said the Legends had all made significant personal contributions to the prosperity and growth of Illawarra Turf Club, and that this was the club’s way of thanking them.

“They are all deserving recipients of the Legends title,” Mr Vandenbergh said.

Story John Curtis, Octobrer 13, 2024

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