Vale Backs Up Namazu Magic with Cluden Double

Rockhampton trainer Ricky Vale hasn’t had time to celebrate Namazu’s home town win in the $1 million Archer but a winning double at Cluden Park has made the wait a little sweeter.

Vale had barely enough time to soak up his biggest career win in Sunday’s Archer before he hit the road to land wins with Pretty Slick and Track Tale on Tuesday’s Cluden card.

“After we won the Archer I thought I was a bit silly having horses accepted for Townsville and not being able to celebrate,” Vale said.

“It was a quiet night that night and on the road for Townsville at 6 o’clock the next morning with these two.

“But it was well and truly worth it.”

Vale is undecided on whether Namazu will return to Cluden to chase a third straight Townsville Cup and equal the deeds of Party King’s much celebrated three-peat.

He said Namazu would be freshened for the G3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on May 25 to give him his chance at carnival riches in Brisbane in shorter races.

“We’re going to see how we go. We’ll start him the BRC Sprint and then we’ll make our decision after that,” Vale said.

“If he’s still got a bit of sprint in his legs we’ll keep him to the sprints but if not, and he’s not up to those horses down there, we’ll bring him back for the Rocky Cup, the Townsville and Mackay Cups.

“We’ll be up in the air until then. I’ve had to change his training this prep. I’ve been training him like an old sprinter with bad joints, even though his joints have been the best they’ve ever been.

“I’ve been looking after him basically and that’s why he’s got a bit more zip in his races.

“After he over-raced in the Toowoomba Cup, I said to the owner we might just have to keep him over the shorter trips up to a mile next prep.

“He said straight away let’s set him for the Archer, and I thought he was mad. 

“We’ll just see how he fares against the sprinters down there. I’ll give him every chance. I’ll go down 10 days before the race to make sure he’s happy.”

Vale combined with top hoop and regular stable rider Ryan Wiggins to score with the tough Track Tale (Ladbrokes QTIS 3YO Hcp, 1000m) and the smart Pretty Slick (Ladbroke’s C3 Plate, 1200m).

“I was very keen on both of these. Pretty Slick had been drawing wide and she’s been ready to win for a while. She’s been jumping out and trialling really, really good but kept drawing the car park.

“This was a perfect distance, perfect class for her and she just had to draw a gate.

“Usually when you draw 8 out of 15 it’s not ideal when you’ve got a seven or eight hour drive but it’s the best she’s drawn this prep and we just had to have a go.

“When there was a race for the other girl worth 20k to the winner I thought we’ll take her for a drive as well.”

Townsville trainer Michael Geaney ended a frustrating run of placings to score with the progressive From This Moment for jockey Justin Stanley in the Hygain BM55 Hcp (1609m).

Geaney has had recent success in Cairns and Mackay but has had a run of minor placings on his home track 

“Her owner Julian Schroder has a few horses with me and when he bought her on line I didn’t really want her,” Geaney said.

“But she’s always shown us something and I have a bit of an opinion of her.

“She’s a handful at times and has a lot to learn, but when she puts it all together she’ll be a very nice horse.

“If you dig her out she wants to keep rolling and Justin really summed her up well and produced a very good ride.”

“That was her third win at the mile and I think she’ll keep developing.  

“It’s been a very lean run here on my home track but we’ve had wins elsewhere. It’s normally the other way around.

“We’ve run a stack of seconds and thirds but finally got one out of the way today.”

Pictured: Rockhampton trainer with Pretty Slick after claiming the Ladbrokes QTIS 3YO Hcp (1000m).

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