Tim Donnelly shooting for a double with Australian Harbour and Bongo Rhythm at Wagga
Tim Donnelly should finish the Wagga meeting two closer to 100 wins at his home track courtesy of the promising import Australian Harbour and the equally adept debutant Bongo Rhythm.
Australian Harbour carried the overriding share of punter support when he made his Down Under debut in the first race on Wagga Town Plate Day, or May 4 to be precise.
Donnelly’s gelding was rated perfectly in front by Danny Beasley but was unable to hold off a challenge from the eventual winner Sorry Sunshine inside the final 100m.
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“It was probably not the way to ride him, leading, as it turns out,” Donnelly said.
“I have already sent a message to the stewards that we are going to try and ride him with cover on Friday.
“We think he will be a lot better that way but there doesn’t look to be a lot of speed in that race so hopefully someone sees that and thinks ‘oh well, we’ll lead’.”
Australian Harbour is a son of Aiden O’Brien’s English and Irish Derby winner, Australia, and arrived on our shores with a tidy C.V of three placings from seven starts.
“He has run in some good races. I couldn’t work out the races they were putting him in and they were riding him differently every start,” Donnelly told The Daily Telegraph.
“Some of his runs were good and he started in the market every start over there so that’s always a good sign.
“He is only a little fella but I like him, he is going to be a pretty handy horse I reckon.”
As for Bongo Rhythm, his debut at on Friday will be watched with keen interest from the Hong Kong-bound trainer Mark Newnham who part owns this half-brother to his former High Street stable resident, A Very Fine Red.
“I have known Mark since he was 15,” Donnelly said. “I knew him when he came to Bobby Thomsen’s when he was still going to school.
“Mark rode a winner for me at Gosford one day. It was on the 9/9/99 and it was race nine, number nine.
“I have only had Bongo Rhythm for nearly two weeks and haven’t had to do a lot with him.
“He is a big strong horse so you wouldn’t pick him as a two-year-old that’s for sure.
“Just going on those trials, he has got to run well
“Obviously he has drawn a bit awkwardly but it’s not as big a disadvantage to draw wide at Wagga.”
Wednesday marks the 26th anniversary of Donnelly’s beloved Quick Flick’s second in the Stradbroke behind Dane Ripper.
Who knows but Donnelly’s next big thing could be sooner rather than later should Participator keep bad luck at bay.
“He has really put it together now. I think he was the most impressive winner at the Wagga carnival,” Donnelly said.
“He is running at Randwick on Saturday week in a 1200m three and four-year-old Benchmark 78.”
Donnelly hasn’t any concrete plans in the spring for Participator but there is every chance someone will snap him up for the Kosciuszko.
“It would be the perfect race for him,” Donnelly said.
SMITH HAS SOME LOFTY GOALS FOR PROMISING LUSKIN VAIN
Luskin Vain is unlikely to turn out half as good as either of his ‘namesakes’ but that doesn’t mean he won’t be given his chance in the big time if he proves himself worthy.
The Alison Smith-trained gelding heads back to Dubbo from Orange aiming to confirm his promise and potential evidenced by his eye-catching second at the same venue on May 20.
Last at the 400m, Luskin Vain charged past all but one of his rivals to clock in a distant but closing second to former Sydneysider Just An Upstart.
“Obviously his mind wasn’t where he needed it to be so he was gelded after his first start last preparation,” Smith explained.
“He gives you a nice feel on the track when you ride him that there is something there but it just takes a bit of time for horses to get a bit race savvy and learn his trade.
“If he can run a nice race on Friday, you have always got those options for Highways that you can put horses in and test them.
“I haven’t really sat down and thought about it but you could try and set him for a Country Championships, maybe not next year, but it just depends on how he goes.”
Luskin Vain is somewhat entitled to join together two of the best Golden Slipper winners namely 1977 winner Luskin Star and Victorian colt Vain (1969).
Smith’s gelding has the blood of both the Newhaven Park sire (Luskin Star) and Widden champion (Vain) on either side of his pedigree.
Smith, meanwhile, has designs on winning the Arrowfield Class 3 Handicap (1000m) via Billabong Isle who paid a price for her outside draw at Wellington last time out.
“She is a nice mare,” said Smith.
“She is honest, she is tough and she has drawn a nice marble on Friday so hopefully Will (Stanley) can give her a better run than last week.”
