David Braithwaite
TWO locally-trained horses recorded wins during Sale Turf Club’s Life Members’ Day on Wednesday.
The club recognised the contribution of 11 of its life members, with the nine races named in their honour.
High Risk won race four, the 1005 metre Peter Gray Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate, on debut for Bundalaguah trainer Sharyn Trolove.
The three-year-old filly and stablemate Make An Effort and High Risk led for most of the journey, before High Risk, ridden by Jason Maskiell, stormed away to secure an impressive one-length win.
With Edge and Retell passed Make An Effort to gain the placings.
Schweinsteiger, trained at Sale by Damien Walkley, won race seven, the David Wilson Benchmark 64 Handicap over 2219m.
The race became a battle of Gippsland-trained horses, with $11.70 chance Schweinsteiger sitting behind Monmouth, trained at Moe by Allison Bennett and ridden by Victorian jockeys’ premiership leader Jye McNeil, for most of the journey.
With Jason Maskiell in the saddle, Schweinsteiger hit the lead when it mattered most, claiming victory by 0.4 of a length.
It was the five-year-old gelding’s first win since February, which also came at Sale, and seventh from 30 starts. Since coming under Walkley’s charge last year, the horse has notched up four victories.
Vantastic finished third for Flemington trainer Michael Moroney.
While the Greenwattle track was rated “good four” with the rail out three metres for the entire circuit, the results favoured horses which travelled down the home straight off the fence.
Tolkowsky, ridden by Brad Rawiller for Godolphin trainer James Cumming, took out race one, the John Allman Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate over 1105m.
With Roppongi drifting in the straight, Tolkowsky, on debut, did well to maintain his line to win by a neck.
Roppongi, which sat off sat off the leader McCain going into the straight, held on to finish second with Bixilon third.
Race two, the Max Blakiston-Ian Rees Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1105m), was won by favourite So Let’s Toast on debut.
The two-year-old colt, trained by John McArdle at Mornington and ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, beat out $51 chance Ain’t She Cute by a third of a length.
Paxos Miss and Rhode Scholar set the pace and were joined by Sunburnt at the top of the straight, but were over-run by So Let’s Toast and Ain’t She Cute, who had plenty left in the tank.
Limpet finished well to finish third.
Murganella, trained by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra at Flemington and ridden by Chris Symons, won race three, the Helen Cantwell Maiden Plate (1728m).
Coming off two second placings at Cranbourne, the four-year-old gelding sat behind early leader Not For Izzy on his way to victory, almost half a length ahead of Resolute Lad, trained at Moe by Peter Gelagotis.
In third place was Sublime Diva, daughter of triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva.
In the run of the day, Flostar put in a dominant performance to win race five, the Anthony Lee Fillies and Mares Benchmark 70 Handicap (1005m).
Ridden by Noel Callow for Caulfield trainer Clinton McDonald, the three-year-old filly, who won at Bendigo before a three-week break, went to the front and surged away to win by almost five lengths.
In second place was Chevalier D’Eon, trained by McArdle, with Paris, trained by Peter Moody with Luke Nolen in the saddle, third.
The day’s closest finish came in race six, the Thelma Coster Class One Handicap (1005m).
That Girl, trained by Phillip Stokes at Pakenham and ridden by Campbell Rawiller, pipped last start Sale winner Japery and Pereira.
The three-year-old filly was resuming after a 19-week spell, before which she came second at Caulfield.
Walking Flying, ridden by Jamie Mott for the Hayes-Dabernig training team, won race eight, the Tony Hart Benchmark 64 Handicap (1728m).
After being swamped in two runs against stronger opposition, the three-year-old filly welcomed the step back in class, winning by three and a half lengths from Nangawooka and Magazine.
The day ended with Evening Cry coming from the back of the field to win the Wayne Pollock-Bill Jones Benchmark 64 Handicap (1411m).
The three-year-old gelding, trained by Anthony Freedman and ridden by Damien Thortnon, through the field in the straight, and lifted a gear after getting clear to just win ahead of the in-form Vladivostok and Denero.
Racing returns to Sale on Thursday, July 9.
