It’s fair to say Reward Seeker has come a long way in the past year after going through a number of trainers before arriving at Michael Mulholland’s stable as an unraced horse.
He had six trials for other stables before the Wellington trainer got him because he saw something he could work with.
“He had a lot of trainers and when I first got him he didn’t know what he was doing,” Mulholland said.
Stream over 50 sports Live & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
Chad Lever will be on board Reward Seeker at Bathurst.Source:News Corp Australia
“If you ran him over 1000m he would run last because he couldn’t pick his feet up and get going.
“The only reason I bought him was because when I watched his last trial he actually knuckled down in the last 100m and came to the line.
“He probably made up five lengths in that trial.”
Mulholland took Reward Seeker straight to 1400m for his debut run, which he won at Warren, before a couple of below-par races.
However, he was still learning his trade and was spelled, and on Monday he lines up in a Benchmark 58 Handicap (2008m) after five runs.
In his past two over a mile Reward Seeker has run second, beaten by the narrowest of margins when coming from off the speed.
“He probably should have won his past two. He’s been a bit stiff,” Mulholland said.
“He keeps improving. He started off as a non-TAB horse and now he’s got to better races and hopefully he can get to even better races than this.”
Trainer Peter Snowden is sending stable representatives out to Bathurst.Source:AAP
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP BATHURST PICKS
BEST BET: OAKSASTAR (Race 7, No 3)
Triple/Crown and Snowden Racing filly by Zoustar who was utterly dominant when she won her 1280m maiden at Muswellbrook first-up. Progressive type.
NEXT BEST: MAYAMAN (Race 4 No. 2)
Big come from behind winner at Dubbo on Feb 3 then gave a very good account of himself in a TAB Highway 12-days later when beaten only 2.2-lengths.
VALUE: NODEEL (Race 3 No. 9)
Greg Hickman trained mare by Dundeel who can only be improved after her encouraging first-up fourth in a similar race here two weeks back.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 2
Race 5: 1,2,6,7
Race 6: 2
Race 7: 3
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Mitchell Bell has a fabulous book of rides – he might win the last two legs of the Quaddie.
Mitchell Bell has a good book of rides at BathurstSource:News Corp Australia
BATHURST INSIDE MAIL
Race 4
Mayaman is a Gooree-bred gelding who was an emphatic ‘come from behind’ winner at home at Dubbo on February 3, then just 12-days later he gave a very good account of himself when beaten just 2.2-lengths in a TAB Highway at Randwick. Also Cool is a progressive staying type from a very astute stable. Racing at her peak now and is well placed. Reward Seeker flew home to just miss in a 1610m last start. Eye Will is a player.
Bet: Mayaman win, exacta 2 to beat 3
Race 5
Adsum got back to near last before running on in the stretch to finish a neck second to a handy enough horse (Petain) in a Class 2 at Dubbo last time. Drawn wide here so he’ll be giving away a start again but is in great form. Alcatran is back ‘home’ at Dubbo now after a brief stint with Gwenda Markwell. Raced here four times for two wins and two seconds and performs fresh. Stablemate Skipper Joe and Just Jessie are in the mix.
Bet: Adsum each-way
R ace 6
Daredevil is a Snowden Racing three-year-old by I Am Invincible out of a mare who is a half sister to Typhoon Tracy. This imposing gelding is way down in grade on what he has been up against for pretty much all of his career. No excuses. Plucky And Lucky defied a huge betting drift ($6.50 to $13) to win like a $1.50 shot in that 900m at Scone running 50.64s! Will be getting back again from the draw. Red Axe has seemingly had issues but is an X-factor horse.
Bet: Daredevil win, Red Axe each-way
Race 7
Oakastar is another of the Peter and Paul Snowden team heading out west, this one a Zoustar filly in the Redzel colours. She was well backed an utterly dominant when she resumed with that easy on-pace win at Muswellbrook. Progressive type. Our Blue Moon has bumped into a couple of handy winners at Goulburn and here at Bathurst at her last two outings. Might be a case of ‘happened again’ today. Antarctic Ocean was disappointing first-up but can improve.
Bet: Oaksastar win, exacta 3 to beat 2
Nolen backs Moody return
Horse Racing: Black Caviar rider Luke Nolen is backing Peter Moody’s bid to return to racing.
Age shall not weary them
Sky Mission, the Rob Potter-trained nine-year-old, aims to maintain his well-earned reputation as a Queanbeyan 900m specialist when he lines up in Monday’s Shot of Coffee Handicap.
The son of Wagga-based Argentine stallion Alert has been a fabulous campaigner for connections, winning his first and last starts and notching six more victories in between.
“He is an old fella but probably racing as good as he ever has,’’ Potter said.
“The 900m suits him down to the ground and the little girl (Ellen Hennessy) is riding really well and takes the 3kg off.
“It looks like he will just roll to the front and be very hard to beat.
“He’s had four runs at the track for two wins and two seconds.
“We don’t do a lot with him. He had a jumpout last week to keep him fresh.
“I can’t fault him and I think he will be pretty hard to run down.’’
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP QUEANBEYAN PICKS
BEST BET: WHO ARJU (Race 7 No. 10)
Albury visitor on debut. Ran smart time to win her one and only trial over the creek at Wodonga 13-days ago.
NEXT BEST: KATATONIC (Race 5 No. 11)
Kayla Nisbet ride for her dad John and his trainer partner Ron Weston. Has a big finish on him.
Kayla Nisbet has a good ride in Katatonic at Queanbeyan on Monday.Source:News Corp Australia
QUEANBEYAN INSIDE MAIL
Race 4
It has been a while since Opera Tickets has won a race, his only two wins are at Bombala and the Grenfell Cup. That said, he is a pretty consistent horse bearing in mind that he has placed 10 times in his 33 starts. Chance at odds. Eaglehawk, likewise, has only ‘1 from 22’ but he has placed eight times and was a runner-up at his only start at this track/distance two runs back. Future Dreams and Illinois Guru have claims in an open and tricky race.
Bet: Opera Tickets each-way
Race 5
Katatonic would deadset draw the outside alley in a two-horse race. The son of Krupt has come up with 13 of 14 (minus scratchings) but at least Kayla Nisbet knows that she can go back and the horse (co-trained by her dam John) will find the line. Ex-Godolphin trained Deterge will be bang on the speed and is way down in class. Jailbird Jayjay has placed at 10 of her 21 starts. Will get there one day; this might be it. Local I Am Grande will have admirers.
Bet: Katatonic win, exacta 11 to beat 1, quinella 1,11
Race 6
Pierro Rose is trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse who counts this filly’s sire, Pierro, among her six Golden Slipper winners. Pierro Rose’s dam, Rose Of Sharon, is a half sister to Lotteria whom Waterhouse also trained. Looks well placed this grade. Aroha Diamond could sneak a place at odds in a fairly shallow line-up. Ditto Miss Farloo who failed second-up but she is seven starts 0-0-0 second-up so hardly unusual for her.
Bet: Pierro Rose win, Araho Diamond place
Race 7
Who Arju is a three-year-old filly by Nature Strip’s sire Nicconi on debut here. Trained at Albury by Donna Scott, Who Arju crossed over to Wodonga for a February 11 trial over 800m which she duly won in pretty slick time on the day. Kayla Nisbet is the big lead as to her chances. Key booking. Garry Neale has another ex-Godolphin horse here in Pretorius who is also down in class/grade for the first time ever. Rob Potter dup Attuned and Scalded are certainly not without a hope.
Bet: Who Arju win
Originally published asBathurst, Queanbeyan tips: Rich reward for patience
Source: Read Full Article