Wyong, Port Macquarie previews: Ron Quinton's winter hot streak to continue
Ron Quinton can ensure the month of June is every bit as merry as the month of May with two more of his hot-winter stable dressed up and ready to win at Wyong on Tuesday.
Hall of Famer Quinton led in five winners from just 13 runners in May, three of them attributable to his Wyong -bound Are Ee Que.
Quinton's first June winner Signor Tortoni earned the honour and distinction of becoming Quinton's 750th winner.
Sydney's eight-times Premiership winning jockey and now six-times Group 1 -winning trainer can take his tally to 751 if and when the lightly-raced Fiery Lass can cash in in the Austbrokers 2YO Maiden Handicap (1350m).
Bred by Gall Bloodstock – that's long-term Quinton client and friend Ray Gall – Fiery Lass showed significant improvement from her provincial debut to her second outing, that one at the midweeks.
Last of 11 400m out from the winning post at Canterbury, Fiery Lass was warming to the task late, clocking in a diminishing three-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner Pillow Fight.
'I thought she ran fair the other day but she needed to finish two lengths closer for me to be getting excited,'' Quinton said.
'But I will give her another run. It is only going to be a small field on Tuesday by the look of it.
'The wide draw won't matter to her, she'll probably settle back anyway.
'We'll know a bit more after (Tuesday) but a suitable for her if she is any good.'
Fiery Lass is a daughter of William Reid Stakes winner Hellbent who stands alongside his illustrious father I Am Invincible (a Gall-owned racehorse back in the day) at the Mitchell's Yarraman Park Stud.
'I like Hellbent,'' Quinton said.
'I think they (his progeny) just need a fraction of time but I don't mind him at all.
'I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.'
Fiery Lass boasts a pedigree so revered that she is destined to one day join Gall's elite broodmare band.
Serious breeding buffs will need only to learn that Fiery Lass's sixth dam is the famed Almahmoud.
Foaled in 1947, Almahmoud is the grand-dam of breed shaper Northern Dancer and the fourth dam of the incomparable, Danehill.
Still on breeding, Quinton has shown himself to be a master of the art, having bred Mnemosyne whose wins for Jack and Bob Ingham included the MRC Thousand Guineas and STC Queen of the Turf Stakes.
The Wyong-bound Are Ee Que is another Quinton design.
Quinton trained her dam Skein whose short, sharp racing career boasted a barnstorming last to first win at Canterbury.
Daughter Are Ee Que's racing pattern couldn't be more different; she's fast from beginning to end – so much so that the daughter of Sidestep has led throughout to win three of her last four starts, all perfectly executed by jockey Madeline Owen.
'Are Ee Que is in good form,'' Quinton began.
'She's been lucky because she's had all these wet tracks which has helped her so much.
'We're hoping she'll run well again (but) there's a pretty big rap on Kris Lees ' horse (Flame Of Hestia) so we'll see what happens.
'Barrier 4 won't be any harm to Are Ee Que. She's not hard to ride, you've just got to rate her a bit and Madeline's been doing that well.'
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Minervini chasing more BOBS riches
Former South Australian-based trainer Mark Minervini is intent on collecting as much extra cash as he can courtesy of his adopted state's BOBS incentive before the season ends.
The one-time master of Morphettville, now a firmly ensconced Novocastrian, Minervini heads to Port Macquarie on Tuesday with BOBS eligible stablemates Mirai San and Tickle Me Pink.
Supido gelding Mirai San is sure to have his share of admirers, Minervini being one, when he makes his debut in today's Coolcene Air Conditioning Maiden Plate (1006m) after back to back seconds in his June trials.
'He's had two trials and he trialled well both times,'' Minervini said.
'We're going there anticipating him to run really well.
'He is very athletic and quite sharp, I think the 1000m will be perfect for him. He's drawn well and he's got Luke Rolls to guide him.'
Mirai San is a son of former rocket Supido.
His grand-dam is Princesa who won the VRC Straight Six and would go on to deliver stakeswinners Star of Giselle and Solicit.
Stablemate Tickle Me Pink earned the dubious honour of 'certainty beaten' when she clocked in second to last at Muswellbrook on June 13 when sent out a red-hot $1.85 favourite.
'Wherever she went, she ran into dead-ends,'' Minervini said.
'All things being equal, I really thought she would have won and won easily and I don't often say that after the race.
'She's drawn well on Monday so I would say you might find her in the first two or three, we'll keep her out of trouble.
'I think she is quite a smart filly.'
Both of Minervini's Port Macquarie participants will be ridden by Luke Rolls who has built an incredibly successful relationship with Vormista's old trainer.
There winning strike-rate going into Monday stands at an enviable 22.7 per cent which increased to 36.4 per cent when placings are added.
Minervini meanwhile has paid homage to his one-time 'banner horse' Quick Tempo upon his retirement this week.
A winner of more than $500,000, Quick Tempo's premium performances include placings in the Ortensia, Warra and Maurice McCarten Stakes.
'He was fantastic for my stable,'' Minervini says. 'Just after we lobbed up here, he was the flag-bearer for quite a while; I owe him a lot,'' Minervini says.
'We found a great 'forever home' for him. He'll be a pleasure horse for a girl who works for Kris Lees, she always liked him and always wanted him so she's taken him on.'
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