Caption: Bob Cooke and his young sprinter Cash Master continued towards winning ‘a good race’ with victory in the $15,700 TAB Christmas Stocking Final (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

By Pat McLeod

Bob Cooke’s prophetic words are closer to reality. Tony Short’s hidden agenda has been revealed and a new potential distance queen emerges.

They were tasty ingredients of another enthralling Golden Greys Summer Carnival night of racing at Albion Park on Thursday night.

Veteran NSW trainer Cooke has known for a while that he has a special chaser in Cash Master (Aston Dee Bee – Cashpot). That’s why early on he told owner Pat Gainey: “I think we can win a good race with this dog.”

On Thursday night the young sprinter won the $15,700 TAB Christmas Stocking Final (520m), one of two minor features on the night, taking his record to a compelling 10 wins and four placings from 14 starts and $53,975 in prizemoney.

That ‘good race’ isn’t far away. Next week he will contest the heats of the Queensland Derby (520m) (Final, January 5 – $50,000 to the winner). Then there is the Golden Ticket (520m) (Final, January 19 – $40,000 to the winner). And then the carnival climax, the Group 1 Gold Bullion Final at Albion Park on February 2, worth $200,000 to the winner.

The always unflappable Cooke confirmed a ‘steady as she goes’ approach to the remaining races.

“He showed tonight that he can keep performing at the top level,” Cooke said. “I will just keep doing what I have been doing with him. You don’t change anything. There’s no point. He is going really good at the moment.

“We will be back here next week and just keep going. He is not brilliant out of the box, but when he hits the ground … he just goes.”

Cash Master ran another slick time on Thursday night (29.68), winning by seven lengths over Mr. Springtime (Sharyn Jackson), with Smoking Sam (Ray Burman) a further seven lengths third.  

Brisbane trainer Tony Short has decided to keep on the distance route for his talented young chaser Hidden Agenda following his win in the second Albion Park feature on Thursday night, the TAB Middle Distance Challenge Final (600m).

Immediately after the race Short indicated he was leaning towards what he thought may have been an easier task, next week’s Derby heats (520m), instead of the Golden Sands (600m)   

“He is about a week under the (Derby) age limit and of course, like the Sands, it is a Group Two race,” he said on Thursday night. “But I think the Derby might be a little bit easier for him.

“And he runs a strong 520m, so we will see what happens.”

However, this morning (Friday morning) Short confirmed he was Golden Sands bound.

“I have moved him up to the 600m. He is going really well over that distance, so I have decided to keep him going there,” he said.

Short was rapt in Thursday night’s run, when he edged out Ned Snow’s Come on Aussie (second) and Paul Mcilveen’s Sunshine Delight.

“He (Hidden Agenda) came out of the one better than I thought he would. We had a good chance from there,” he said.

“If he can get up and lead by the corner then he is half a chance. He comes home strongly.”          

Gold Coast trainer David Andrews’ belief, that few others shared, was rewarded early on Thursday night’s program when She’s Precocious, lived up to her name, leaving group stars Oh Oh Range (second) and Days Of Thunder (third) in her wake over the 710m.

Mid-race Ned Snow’s Oh Oh Range appeared to have the other four starters covered, however She’s Precocious loomed and then won a battle to the line, pulling away by two and a half lengths.

Andrews was far from shocked.

“No, I wasn’t surprised by that result,” he said. “She has trialled really well here post to post, three weeks in a row, but I just can’t a 700m race. I have been waiting for a month.

“The 700m is her go and if she has room in her race and has the race to run to suit her, there are not many dogs who can run her down if she is near the lead.

“She has had problems with an infection, but when she is right and has a clear run, she can run some really decent times.

“I have been setting her for the 700m race is towards the end of this carnival (the $150,000 Gold Cup). So hopefully she is right.”