Swift Sands, Stewy, Tango Express and Brooke
Last week Ricky Maund took two horses, Show Stealer and Bedouin Express, to Geelong, both duly won. Yesterday, just one week later, Ricky took another pair of horses to the same venue. A repeat performance was always going to be difficult because they were in the same race.
In form apprentice Katelyn Mallyon was aboard Tango Express, while Jade Darose was aboard Swift Sands. The 0-72 fillies and mares race over 1100 metres had only attracted a small field. Nevertheless, punters had the two Maund trained mares as the roughies. Katelyn took Tango Express to the front of the field. Swift Sands jumped well, yet following instructions Jade brought her back to the rear of the field.
Rounding the turn, Tango Express left the on pacers behind and had the race all but won. But jade had other ideas. A furlong from home, Swift Sands was still clearly last, but she responded to Jade’s riding and quickened spectacularly.
They hit the wire with Tango Express on the inside and Swift Sands outside. For a moment it appeared that Ricky had achieved the near impossible. A dead heat would give him four winners from his last four starters at Geelong. The judges adjudicated that Tango Express had outlasted Swift Sands by the narrowest of margins – 0.1length. Ricky settled for a quinella.
Tango Express, who
was bred at Lauriston is by Success Express from Entango. Entango has a yearling colt by Lohnro.
Swift Sands is from Danske mare Quite Astute. Quite Astute raced on five occasions in New Zealand and never finished out of a place, including the 2003 Group 1 Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.
