By ‘Pegs’
Former Kilmore trainer now Seymour-based Barry Malanczyn’s Apollo Blu, paying odds of $5.50, was rewarded for his consistency at bet365 Geelong on Tuesday.
The five-year-old gelded son of Dalghar and Ocean Run, coming off a second placing at Benalla early in the month, was given a peach of a ride by long-time friend and regular rider Tahlia Hope in taking out the DMB Contracting Maiden Plate over 1443 metres.
The gelding was too good for the $1.80 favourite King Neptune, defeating the gelding by a length with Montari, $17, a short-half head away third.
“This horse has come along really nicely this prep,” Malanczyn told Racing.com’s Ed Sadler after the race.
“Last prep he wasn’t much as he was a bit of a mongrel. This time he’s stepping up every time and he’s a different horse.
“You could not have scripted Tahlia’s ride any better. She rode it an absolute treat.”
Malanczyn, who has only two gallopers in work at present, said the gelding would be nominated for a Class 1 over 1400 metres at Sandown’s Lakeside track on December 7.
Malanczyn purchased the gelding from the 2019 Karaka 2YO Ready to Run Sale for $35,000 for himself and stable clients, a sale he cut his teeth with as a companion to the then fellow Kilmore trainer Lee Hope.
Apollo Blu has had two minor placings prior to his win from only eight starts.
Picnic winners
Kilmore trainers Tony Carter-Smith and Anne Goble saddled up winners at the first picnic meeting for the season at Sportsbet-Ballarat synthetic on Saturday.
The former was successful with the New Zealand-bred Niagara seven-yearold gelding, Elevenbee, $3.60, in the Get Back To Woolamai – December 10 Trophy(3) Handicap over 1500 metres.
The gelding, ridden by promising Kilmore apprentice Tyson Barton, defeated the $2.35 favourite Sarnia by a half-length with Evil Suspect, $6, a further two and a half lengths away third.
Raced by the Barton brothers, Ben and Tyson, the gelding was having only his second run for the new stable, with the application of blinkers at his previous start rejuvenating the gelding.
Elevenbee has now won two races with four minor placings from his 26 starts.
The following race saw the Gobleowned and trained Femme Americain, $4.20, come from the rear of the field to take out the Sportsbet Bet With Mates Handicap over 1500 metres.
Giving Barton a riding running double, the six-year-old daughter of Americain and Girl De Bois defeated $2.90 favourite Helen’s Boy by one and a half lengths with Brueghelino, $8.50, a further four and a half lengths away third.
“Such a great ride by Tyson,” Goble said.
“You should have a lot of fun this season with her.”
Femme Americain has now won five races with nine minor placings from her 45 starts.
Barton, now apprenticed to Carter-Smith, with Saturday’s double outrode his apprentice’s claim.
Hoofnote: The picnic circuit in Victoria has been dogged with bad luck this season with all programmed meetings up until now abandoned due to bad weather and state of the track.
