By Neil Evans
With Country Championships qualifying action arriving left, right and centre around NSW, some handy South Eastern regional gallopers are out to put down an early marker in the feature race at Monday’s Sapphire Coast meeting.
And it’s a big finishing and still lightly raced five-year-old who is out to recapture his best in the Merimbula Cup and Country Preview feature run at Class 4 level over 1408m.
Racing hits the Sapphire Coast on Monday.Credit:Getty
Get Shafted, a powerful gelded son of Shaft who is always sparingly raced, returns from a failed metro mission when well beaten in a tougher Benchmark 72 at Warwick Farm over 1400m 12 days ago.
Little known Moruya-based trainer Lynn Morrison quickly brought her stable star back to familiar territory where she hopes to kick-start a bid for a crack at Country Championships qualification for the big $500,000 Final at Randwick on April 1.
Prior to that run, Get Shafted swept home to win a BM 58 over 1200m after thundering home from well back into a place in the feature BM 87 Town Plate at Moruya on December 18.
A big strider who enjoys firmer ground and a good speed to chase, will ideally be aimed at the SERA Country Championships Qualifier (1425m) at Moruya on March 5, with the top two over the line booking their spots at Randwick.
And it’s easy to see why this small stable pins so much faith in Get Shafted.
Since the start of spring in 2021, he has won three times for the Morrison yard, yet its only other winner in all that time was a BM 66 success in heavy ground in mid-January last year.
Standing in his way, though, on the Far South Coast is a pair of progressive four-year-olds, both coming off last-start wins at this track three weeks ago.
Moruya-based Rhythmboat impressed, winning a Class 2 second-up; while locally-trained gelding Louie’s Legacy claimed a second win at only his fourth start, finishing best to win a Class 1.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
