Red Hot Day Racks Up More Cluden Winners

Knockabout hoop Nathan Day is hoping a rare winning streak will continue on Townsville galloper Bold Kingston in Saturday’s TAB Country Cup Challenge in Brisbane after another big day at Cluden yesterday.

Day landed a winning double on the brilliant Molongle Surprise and Polhampton to go with three trebles on northern tracks in a month to remember.

The winning run has also lifted Day to a career milestone, surpassing the 1000 winner barrier. 

“I had a purple run last year before I was out for a fair while suspended but this is one of the best runs I’ve had,” Day said.

“Things are going good, I’m riding for the right camps like Boogie (Stephen) Massingham and Georgie and Aidan Holt, and for Clinton Taylor in Rocky for a while before Justin (Stanley) came back. So I had three big ones behind me. 

“I’m mainly up here but still have my house in Brisbane in case I ever want to go back and ride there. I’d say I’m Townsville based, it’ a perfect spot between Cairns and Mackay and I’m riding winners so I’ll stick to it for the time being.

“My goal is a 100 winners for the season, and around 30 in Townsville. I was on track to get there last year until I got sidelined so this season that’s my main target. I’m on 44 now so it’s going well.”

On a day that favoured leaders yesterday, Polhampton cruised out in front to land an all-the-way win for Day and trainer Cheynee Morrison in the Christmas Race Day December 10 Cl2 Hcp (1200m).

But it was the Ben Williams-trained Molongle Surprise who claimed the limelight with a sizzling display in the Carlton & United Breweries Open Hcp (1000m) in his final start before a Brisbane trip.

Day said the six-year-old would make his presence felt in the Bribie Hcp (1050m) at Eagle Farm on December 10 after winning in a slick 55.94secs, with a last 600m sectional of 32.89secs.

“I knew he was good, but didn’t realise he was that good. I think he can go to an extra level,” Day said.

“I was going to ride him at the Gold Coast last Saturday and Ben didn’t go. I thought he might have been a bit big but after today I think he might have won it.

“A lot of the time you look at that clock and you might have your doubts but he ran it today.

“I’ve been lucky to ride some good horses and they can work and then sprint, and today he felt like that – he worked hard early and sprinted away from them.

“I reckon you’ve got to have a crack and it’s good he’s going earlier rather than later on.

Day, a leading Brisbane apprentice in his younger days, is excited about the prospects of Bold Kingston at Doomben in the Country Cup final on Saturday and would love nothing more than to win a feature back on his old home turf.

“He’s a great chance from the five alley. It’ll be a big day. The Holt family are going down, my mate Les Ross and his crowd will be there and my son’s going to the races.

“Being from Brissie, it’s a race I’d like to win.  Justin’s (Stanley) been winning a few the last few years and I’d never really had any interest in it. But now I’ve said I want to win one of them, just for that point… it’s my sort of race.”

While Day tasted success again with yesterday’s double, Townsville trainer Graham Hughes landed two winners of his own with newcomer Perfect Quality, ridden by Chris Whiteley, and roughie McNair.

Although sent out at $21, McNair showed his first glimpse of form since transferring north from NSW with a storming finish thanks to a ride-of-the-day performance from jockey Denicious Smith.

Pictured: Nathan Day with connections of Polhampton after winning yesterday's Christmas Race Day Saturday 10 December Class 2 Handicap (1200m).

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