Locals on Top with a Big Day out at Cluden

Townsville trained gallopers had a field day at Cluden Park on Tuesday, claiming six of the seven races.

And Cluden’s on-course stabling complex had a big role to play.

Steve Royes landed a winning double with Vouchers and smart 3yo Burlington Arcade and Georgie Holt with consistent 2yo Gone Country.

Visiting Rockhampton trainer Clinton Taylor was singing the praises of the new stables after an extended stopover due to flooding at home.

He led in his fourth Cluden winner in the space of 10 days when Pride Of Venus landed an impressive win over stable mate Henry’s Blade.

Royes was predicting a bright future for Burlington Arcade and Vouchers, who both won with Tom Hedley’s colours with leading hoop Ryan Wiggins in the saddle.

Wiggins later sealed a treble with a win on Kobayastar.

“He’s a progressive type and I think if he puts it together he could be a serious horse in the making,” Royes said.

“After he trialled here I rang Tom and said ‘you’ve got a good one here.

‘You can never be too confident going into a race with a $1.3 favourite (Old Gold) against you.

“But he was quite impressive.

“I think Vouchers will be better suited over more ground and ridden further back. He had to do it a bit tough from the wide draw today to get forward with the rail out so far.

“It’s early days but Wiggo said he just kept going so he might have a future over a trip.”

Royes, who has 16 horses in work, said his team was enjoying the new facilities.

“The set up we have is paradise for them. The horses have settled in,. It’s taken a little while but we’re just getting to where they’re happy and doing well.”

Georgie Holt continued her dominance of Townsville’s early two-year-old races when good filly Gone Country landed her second win in as many starts over stable mate Scarlena.

Gone Country’s run of form follows the stable’s win with smart two-year-old gelding Better Blitzem in the Pallarenda Stakes in October.

Wulguru trainer Matthew McGuire continued the big day for locals with a winning double with pint-sized mare Whirlwind and Kobayastar.

Whirlwind produced a late burst for apprentice Fiona Sandkuhl to overhaul favourite Bitter Spirit over the mile while Kobayastar showed her liking for 1300m with a comfortable win over Unifies in the last.

Sprint specialist Roweiner’s Dance recorded his 12th win over the Cluden Park 1000m course in the open, beating his arch rival Molongle  Surprise.

“He met Molongle Surprise 4.5kg better than the other day and he was fitter and far more relaxed today. He’s still not fully wound up so there’s a bit more improvement in him,” Kennings said.

“I’ll probably take him down for a set weights race at Home Hill over 1180m. After this run today he should be ready for that.

“We’ll chase an easy kill down there and then we can work out where we go from there.

“We won’t go with him too long now, and look at the carnival again. Last year was out after he quarter cracked his heel and he struggled in his few runs before he spelled.”

Clinton Taylor had headed back to Rockhampton after a winning finale with Pride Of Venus on a short flood-enforced stay in Townsville at the Cluden stables.

‘I want to thank the turf club. Amazing to deal with and the facilities are great and the horses settled in good,” Taylor said.

“We had the flood at home and we had the option to bring some horses up.

“At my home stables we had ankle to knee deep water and it left a bit of a mess.

“The swimming pool and walkers aren’t up and running yet at the Rocky track so we elected to stay another week.

“I stayed up myself. I think they’ve all raced well to be honest.

“Pride Of Venus was good today. We took her to Brisbane and it was a firm 2 and she pulled up terribly. Jarred up badly.

“We took her home and freshened her up. I feel like she’s a light weight Cleveland Bay horse. With speed on and a nice run like she got today just off the pace I think she’d run a race.

“The second horse – Henry’s Blade - is no slouch either.”