Caption: Dennis Barnes’ Nangar Lucy wins a 600m FFA at a wet Albion Park on Thursday night. The final six races, including the four Golden Ticket match races were postponed to Saturday morning. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)
By Pat McLeod
Col Graham wanted rain, but not the heavy wet blanket that washed out the majority of Thursday night’s Golden Ticket meeting at Albion Park.
“Yes, I wanted a heavy track, but not for the races to be called off,” the northern NSW trainer lamented after stewards halted proceedings at The Creek after Race 5 of the 11-race program.
“A heavy track would have suited my bloke (King Of Aces) because he is such a strong dog, so it is a shame that the races have been postponed.
“But the postponement won’t worry him.”
The final six events of Thursday night’s program, including the four Golden Ticket match races will now be run at Albion Park on Saturday morning.
Graham’s King Of Aces is drawn to go head-to-head with reigning Queensland sprint superstar, Selena and Mick Zammit’s Jay Is Jay.
In the lead-up to Thursday night’s program Graham, 70, who also has a long career as a country and western performer, jokingly said that he would be inviting a wet evening by singing the 1980 hit song I Love A Rainy Night and doing a rain dance.
He was hoping a heavy track may have given ‘Ace’ the edge required to upset the phenomenal Jay Is Jay in a one-on-one clash.
“The harder (the going) it is the better for him (King Of Aces). I don’t know how much Jay Is Jay likes the wet, but Ace will revel in the tough going,” Graham said in the lead-up.
Well, he got what he wanted, but just too much.
Mick Zammit wasn’t concerned at a wet track, but was philosophical about the postponement.
“You can’t do much about the weather,” he said.
“It is a positive that there is a Plan B, however it is a shame that one of the high points of the carnival did not go ahead as scheduled.
“As far as Jay Is Jay is concerned, he will be fine to race on Saturday.”
The rescheduled times for the four Golden Ticket match-races on Saturday morning are (box draw remains the same):
Match 1: 10.24am – Blue Hornet (Ray Burman) Box 1 vs Professor Snitch (Steven White) Box 3.
Match 2: 10.36am – Saige Tenniele (Kody Charles) Box 1 vs Saanvi (Tom Tzouvelis) Box 3.
Match 3: 10.47am – Hello Mike (Travis Elson) Box 1 vs Oh Minnie (Jamie Hosking) Box 3.
Match 4: 11.00am – Jay Is Jay (Selena Zammit) Box 1 vs King Of Aces (Col Graham) Box 3.
The fastest dog across the four, one-on-one showdowns not only collects $60,000 and Group 2 status, but also gets a ‘ticket’ directly into the final of the Group 1 Gold Bullion (520m) on February 1.
Also postponed through to Saturday is the $24,000 listed Clem Jones Cup Final (710m).
Of the races that did go ahead on Thursday night, Dennis Barnes’ Nangar Lucy won a 600m FFA in 35.13, turning the tables on recent Group 1 Golden Sands (600m) victor Fahey’s Magic, who finished third.
