By Neil Evans
The old saying of “saving it all for race day” will be tested by a promising and resuming three-year-old at Thursday’s feature Kembla Grange meeting.
Gone Bananas returns for just his third start in a wide-open Benchmark 64 Hcp for the boys over 1400m.
Racing returns to Kembla Grange on Thursday.Credit: Getty
The gelding hasn’t started since a narrow maiden win at Hawkesbury in early spring but has reportedly been working nicely ahead of his first extended prep.
And seemingly connections have learnt quickly, given the decision to resume him over 1400m.
In late August on debut over 1300m, Gone Bananas came from near last to be beaten just over two lengths in what quickly became a handy maiden form line.
Pushed up 100m in trip two weeks later, he reacted by settling closer and going home best, and stopping the clock in a slick 1 min 22.50sec.
And the third-placed horse from that race, The Three Hundred, then won his next two starts at Rosehill and a BM 68 at Warwick Farm.
It all points to a big late summer and early autumn campaign for Gone Bananas who opened around $5.50 in early betting, just ahead of both resuming four-year-old Wizards and three-year-old California Waves on the $6 line.
By group 1-winning sprinter Hellbent and out of the unraced mare Precious Pasquelle, Gone Bananas is based in the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable at Rosehill.
Two races prior, the stable saddles up one of the more intriguing runners on the card, three-year-old filly Milly Molly Mandy for her debut in a Maiden Hcp over 1200m.
A daughter of dual Cox Plate winner So You Think and out of a Rock Of Gibraltar mare, Milly Molly Mandy comes off two steady Rosehill trials.
Drawn to get a soft run, she opened as much as $12 in early betting well behind hard fit and tough mare Reasonable at around $3.50.
Apprentice not letting city winners change his plans
Promising country apprentice Braith Nock is enjoying life in Sydney but wants to focus on maximising his provincial claim before chasing too many more city winners. Nock, who hails from Bendemeer, near Tamworth, rode his fourth city winner on Wednesday when taking Terry Croft-trained Royal Commodore to victory in the opener on the Kensington program. The 23-year-old is indentured to Scone trainer Brett Cavanough but is halfway through a three-month loan with Peter Snowden in Sydney. He has 141 career wins and still has a two-kilogram provincial claim. “I’m starting to ride a few metros and could obviously ride a few winners, but I don’t want to burn through it,” Nock said. “I want to get as much experience as I can through all the grades.”
Craig Kerry
Charlton happy with how Blue Vein is aging
Co-trainer Tom Charlton believes Blue Vein could chase better races in carnivals this season after the three-year-old colt broke through for an emphatic win on the Kensington track on Wednesday. The Blue Point colt was a short-priced favourite in the 1400m maiden after a second on debut as a two-year-old at Newcastle and a first-up third at Randwick on Boxing Day. Under Tommy Berry on Wednesday, Blue Vein produced a strong finish down the outside to win. “If he continues, maybe he can have a little let-up and come back for something nicer in the Sydney autumn or Queensland winter,” said Charlton, who trains in partnership with John O’Shea. “There’s a chance he could get to that level. He had only one start as a two-year-old and showed good promise. He worked up quite well then had a very minor setback, and we gave him plenty of time because he’s a big, scopy individual, and he raced well first up with not a lot going his way. He was a bit unfortunate that day not to win, but today with a better draw, it all worked out.”
Craig Kerry
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
