Steve Bland with Cambla Doll and members of his family. (Photo: Uncle Rustys Photos)

Queensland country wrap by MIKE HILL

GOODWOOD trainer Steve Bland admitted to being a bit emotional after his talented sprinter Cambla Doll led all-the-way for an impressive victory in the $3675 Easter Cup (460m) at Bundaberg early last month.

\”It was an excellent win and I was extremely proud of her,\” Bland said.

\”When you bring them up from pups, it\’s great to see them achieve success.\”

And Bland had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Cambla Doll\’s victory was the middle leg of Bland\’s first ever winning treble and members of his family were trackside to celebrate his achievement.

It was also a highly successful meeting for Bland and his partner Louise Cameron, who together operate Cambla Kennels.

As well as Bland\’s winning treble, Cameron led in a winner and the kennel also rugged up two seconds and a third with only one of their eight runners missing prizemoney.

\”My son, his wife and their three daughters were up from Sydney, my daughter, her partner and their three sons were up from the Brisbane-Gold Coast area and a great-grand son had also travelled from the Gold Coast,\” he said.

\”Also Lou\’s son and his fiancee were visiting from the Gold Coast.

\”It was a great day.

\”I don\’t bet but the kids all made some good money.\”

Cambla Doll, at the surprising odds of $17, jumped quickly from box six and led the field into the back straight, increasing her advantage.

The black sprinter (Fabregas-Hurricane Queen) was never challenged, eventually winning by three-and-a-half lengths from the Ron Hawkshaw-trained Zuleika ($10) with John White\’s $5.50 hope Burn Out two-and-a-quarter lengths away third.

It was Cambla Doll\’s third successive win and her starting price shocked Bland.

\”I thought she would have been shorter after winning her two previous starts,\” the trainer said.

\”Her last three wins have all been out of box six.\”

Bland said he couldn\’t give a reason for the bitch\’s improved form – she\’s won four of her past six starts.

\”I haven\’t changed my training routine,\” he said.

\”I think she\’s just maturing. She made a slow start to her career.\”

After winning her maiden first-up in July last year it took her another 12 starts to break her novice.

\”She\’s developed into a very strong, lovely  30kgs bitch,\” Bland said.

\”She\’s started to sort it out. She\’s jumping well and she now knows what she has to do.

\”She\’s very keen … she almost pulls me into the boxes with her.\”

Bland\’s other winners on the day were Louisiana Flyer ($8.50) and Cambla Gem ($3.90), while Cameron rugged up a long-shot quinella Maeve ($34) and Richmer Assault ($23), which returned $97.40 on the TAB quinella and $407.60 (exacta).

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SMART chaser Velocity Summit blitzed her rivals to win the Easter Sprint (407m) at Rockhampton and at the same time helped Zilzie-based trainer Bill Boon land a winning treble.

Velocity Summit (Barcia Bale-Velocity Melzon), a $5 chance, pushed through from box three to take an early lead before racing away for a six-and-a-half length victory, beating the Albert Harker-trained Special Speed ($41) with Dallas Beckett\’s Qualified ($7.50) a length back third.

The success lifted the black sprinter\’s record to 11 wins and 16 placings from 42 starts.

Boon\’s other winners were the well-fancied Velocity Atom ($1.40) and Velocity Zelmona ($2.40).

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CHRIS Riordon has another smart youngster in his kennels.

The talented Joe Patch outsprinted his more seasoned rivals to brilliantly win last month\’s $3675 Anniversary Cup (510m) at Rockhampton.

Having only his fourth race start, the well-bred sprinter (El Galo-Spirited Flame) crushed his opposition – winning by seven-and-a-half lengths and clocking a BON 29.65s.

However, he was in all sorts of bother after drawing box eight in the $3675 Colleen Jackson Memorial Final (510m) at Rocky seven nights later and did well to finish third behind the brilliant Wayne Scott-trained Fernando Beach.

Joe Patch began his career with an impressive debut victory over 520m in a BOM 30.04s at Albion Park in mid-March.

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YOUNG sprinter Sholto appears to like his new environment at Lindsay McCarthy\’s Bundaberg kennels.

Sholto (Sh Avatar-Sawdee) was disappointing in his first two starts over 520m at Wentworth Park earlier in the year but has found winning form quickly on the Bundy grass track.

The young black sprinter won first-up in a heat of the Bundaberg Maiden 1000 over 460m in late March and then clocked a BOD 26.38s in winning the $2450-to-the-winner final seven days later.