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Townsville given six of the best by Far Northern trainers

Michael Serenc

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

© The Cairns Post

 

FOUR Far Northern horse trainers dominated last Tuesday's Townsville Turf Club provincial meeting, claiming a winner in all six races.

Striking early in the 1000m Benchmark 79 Handicap was Walkamin trainer Greg Wehlow's Doyadeal.

The seven-year-old bay gelding looked the goods to win the race before it even started, being the odds-on favourite at $1.70.

"I think it's got a lot to do with the conditions up here too. It's a lot cooler than down there (in Townsville)," Wehlow said.

Taking home race two's Class 1 Plate (1000m) was three-year-old bay filly Little Ducati, trained by Tolga's Melanie Chillemi.

The daughter of respected trainer Roy, Chillemi was given her maiden north Queensland victory by Atherton jockey Wanderson D'Avila, who also piloted Chillemi Sr's Fast 'N' Ferocious home in the 1200m Class 4 Handicap.

The veteran trainer went on to win the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1400m) with five-year-old bay gelding, Bold Trojan.

In the day's other races, fellow Tolga trainer Janel Ryan also picked up two wins with mare Artiva and bay gelding Haydee mopping up in the Maiden 1000m and Class 1 Handicap 1300m events respectively.

"It was great. It's good to snag a race anywhere," Ryan said of her double success in Townsville.

"The numbers seem to have dropped off in Townsville for a while, probably due to people putting their horses out during the heat and wet season.

"A lot of them probably won't start racing before the carnivals start."

Cairns Jockey Club committee member Wayne Massingham said the bevy of recent results reflected well on the industry in the Far North.

"I don't think you'd get too many race meetings where they've won the whole lot," Massingham said.

"That just shows you how strong our Far Northern horses are ... It's a very strong training base."

Massingham remained confident that the trainers could repeat their success at their next meeting in Townsville on February 26.

"Townsville probably couldn't survive if it wasn't for the strong base of horses that come from the Far North," he said.

"It just shows you the quality of horses we have in the Cairns region."

 


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Winning family: Roy Chillemi and his daughter Melanie tasted victory at Townsville last week.





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