PART owners Sarah and Mark Jackson will continue their magical ride with three-year-old filly Royal Merchant in Saturday’s $3 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
The Mildura couple, who own a small share in the horse, have been on cloud nine since the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained horse won the Group 1 Goodwood at Morphetville last month, taking its earnings to $582,470.
The stakes are much bigger today, though, with the Stradbroke winner collecting a cool $1.8 million.
There’s still a decent cheque for running 10th of $36,000.
The Jacksons will be rubbing shoulders on track with the likes of Gerry Harvey and John Singleton, who co-own another Stradbroke runner in Hawaii Five Oh ($5).
Royal Merchant, a $26 chance with bookies, has a stable nickname of “iron horse” as she embarks on her 13th run in a campaign that dates back to a midweek maiden at Canterbury.
Sarah Jackson said they were hopeful their horse would run well in the 1400m feature.
“Anything’s possible. A number of the favourites have drawn outside, which could make it interesting,” she said.
“She’s recovered well from the Goodwood. Her stablemate (Ruthless Dame) is the number one seed out of the two, but Royal Merchant has fitness on her side.
“Even if she could run a place, that’d be unbelievable.”
There’s another Mildura hook to the races at Eagle Farm today.
“Melissa Stone from here has Abounding running in the opening race,” Sarah Jackson said.
“She has quite a few good horses, and she has another one of them running at Randwick on Saturday, Iowna Merc (in race four).
“We have a little theory going that the last two races that Royal Merchant has run, Abounding has run the same day.
“Abounding has run second both times and then we’ve won. I’ve told Melissa that Abounding isn’t allowed to start winning until after the Stradbroke,” she added with a laugh.
Betting plunges
THE on-course crowds at most Mildura harness-race meetings could probably fit into a mini-bus these days.
But that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of punting interest on local meetings.
Over the past few weeks, there’s been some serious money wagered on races at the City Oval track.
The biggest bet with the TAB was a $6000 outlay on Ultimate Trouble to run a place at $1.85 in race five last Friday.
The horse won the race, giving the punter a tidy collect of $11,100.
Another punter came unstuck, however, in the same race after plonking $5000 on Mykorona to win at $1.60. It came second to Ultimate Trouble.
The previous week saw even more big money wagered at the local meeting on May 24.
A $2000 bet at $6 on Brydon Earl to win race eight landed the money, as did a $2500 wager on Raindrops ($2.90) to take out race nine.
However, there were also four big bets that flopped at the same meeting.
A punter put down $4700 on Miss Idaho to win race 10 at the odds of $1.55 before the horse finished second.
A $4000 wager on Nationaldraft at $4.40 to win race four stayed in the bookie’s bag after it placed third.
There were also two win bets of $2500 on runners in the opening and last races of the meeting that tanked after Rainbow Rain and Veira were both unplaced.
I don’t mind a punt myself, but there’s no way I’d be splashing out that sort of coin on any horse race.
