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Newcastle trainers Grant Marshall and Alan Scorse will be adopting opposing tactics with jockeys at the opposite ends of the spectrum in Friday's $50,000 Queen of the North (1200m) at Port Macquarie.
The Marshall-trained Komodo Blue, top weight with 62kg, will be ridden by 4kg-claiming apprentice Daniel Holten with instructions to lead unless something else wants to go fast early.
“Providing nothing else wants to go silly in front all Daniel has to do is lead and steer,” Marshall said. “Daniel rode a horse for me in a trial and did exactly as he was told.
“I wanted to get as much weight off my mare as possible and I am prepared to give Daniel a go on a good horse in a feature race. It would be a huge thrill for everyone if he can win.”
Meanwhile, the Scorse-trained Who’s Ready will be ridden by Australia’s most-winning jockey Robert Thompson and from barrier 14 will be settling in the second half of the field then powering home.
“Barrier 14 might be an advantage, depending on how the track is playing,” Scorse said. “We will find out as the meeting goes on whether riders are going wide in the straight and if they are I would prefer my barrier to being drawn on the rails.
“Even if they are sticking to the fence it won’t matter. Robert rides Port Macquarie better than anyone.
“Having said that, I think it is great that Grant has given Daniel the ride and a chance like this. However, there is bit more to it than just leading and steering.”
Holten, at 35 and possibly Australia’s oldest 4kg-claiming apprentice, has come close several times but is yet to ride a winner.
He is also possibly Australia’s most experienced 4kg-claiming apprentice having ridden trackwork for more than 20 years, ridden in more than 150 barrier trials and even worked for 18 months as a trainer.
“To get my first winner in the Queen of the North would be fantastic and I can’t thank Grant enough for giving me this opportunity,” Holten said.
Komodo Blue resumes from a spell but comes into the race on the back of two trials and with excellent first-up form. She was a winner at Doomben last August, was beaten a nose in the provincial cup at Newcastle before running fourth in the Denman Cup at Muswellbrook.
“She was at the end of her preparation when I took her to Muswellbrook but she had a good spell and I could not be happier with her,” Marshall said.
Scorse is convinced he has Who’s Ready over her problems and back to the point where she won at Flemington on Oaks day as a three-year-old.
“It has been a long and at times frustrating journey but she is back on track and the way she won first-up at Gosford really pleased me,” Scorse said. “After this race we will look for suitable races in Sydney and the Dark Jewel at Scone is one race I have in mind for her.”
The Listed $200,000 Darley Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) for fillies and mares will be run on May 18.
Port Macquarie’s two big hopes in the Queen of the North, the Neil Godbolt-trained Al Nova and the Marc Quinn-trained Cultural, have drawn opposite sides of the barriers. While Al Nova (Alison Threadwell) has drawn barrier one, Cultural (Matt Bennett) has barrier 18.
SELECTIONS
1-1.18, SERENE LODGE 2YO, 1100m: YUPIK 1, Infomertial 2, Leftover Lolly 3, Friskiness 4.
2-1.53, LOPE DE VEGA (Ire) DUAL GROUP ONE WINNER BENCHMARK 60, 1000m: PADRE PIO 1, Reve De Popie 2, Biscay Sport 3, Brado’s Boy 4.
3-2.28, CASINO PRINCE CHAMPION FIRST SEASON SIRE MAIDEN, 1500m: ALL THAT EXCITES 1, Lord Peter 2, Would Be A Bonus 3, Get On The Grange 4.
4-3.03, PATINACKFARM.COM MAIDEN, 1100m: THE LAST SHOUT 1, Time To Excite 2, Radiologist3, Cracker Night 4.
5-3.40, PATINACK FARM $1M BREEDERS BONUS CLASS ONE, 1000m: KATTEGAT BAY 1, Elsalinda 2, Stardust Warrior 3, Sprite Zah 4.
6-4.20, MONACO CONSUL (NZ) MULTIPLE GROUP ONE CLASSIC WINNER BENCHMARK 50, 1800m: PLEASE BE GENTLE 1, Aigle De Mer 2, Emcee Art 3, Butane 4.
7-5.00, PATINACK FARM QUEEN OF THE NORTH, 1200m: WHO’S READY 1, Komodo Blue 2, Al Nova 3, Fandom 4.
8-5.40, HUSSON (Arg) LEADING FIRST SEASON SIRE BY WINNERS CLASS TWO, 1200m: JUST ZAM 1, Retrial 2, Blinkin Rules 3, Boom Boom 4.
Best Bets: Kattegat Bay, Just Zam
