| Former Sydney stayer Tipito,
who only gained a start after being elevated from an emergency, has caused a major
boilover when she won an incident packed Marriott Surfers Paradise Resort Handicap (1300m)
on Magic Millions day at the Gold Coast today. Luckily
able to escape a nasty fall, which was left one jockey with suspected spinal injuries, the
mare rattled home to down Fair Decree by a long neck. Jason Taylor was aboard the winner.
Shankadi, another galloper trained on the track, was third
for the Michael Rodd and Bryan Guy combination.
The Magic Ring mare has a perfect winning record for her new
connections when she won her second race from as many starts since being transferred.
Grafton based trainer Terry Commerford said he felt Tipito
was way over the odds after an impressive first up win at Coffs Harbour on New Year's Day.
"I rang the owner and told him to have a bet on her as I
felt she was hugely over the odds," Commerford said.
Before joining the Commerford stable the four-year-old mare
had been racing over the staying distances in Sydney, but his new trainer decided the
shorter distances would be more suitable.
"She had been running over much longer distances but the
Magic Rings seem to be flying machines so I decided to test her over the shorter
distances."
"Her win first up at Coffs Harbour was strong,"
Commerford said.
The winning trainer, who confessed to winning about $30,000
after outlaying about $300 in bets, will look toward the metropolitan area for her next
run.
"I should be able to find a suitable fillies and mares
race in Brisbane," he said.
The race was marred by a fall which resulted in two jockeys
being catapulted into the turf.
The last start winner Northern Friends fell near the 800
metre mark, while Caramel Star, which was travelling immediately behind, couldn't escpae
and his rider Matthew Bennett was also dismounted.
Alan Cowie (Northern Friends) was transported by ambulance to
hosptial with suspected spinal injuries. |
