It may have just been a midweek meeting at Wentworth Park, but could the TAB Million Dollar Chase winner have been on track on Wednesday night?
Leading Million Dollar Chase contenders Flying Ricciardo and Shima Shine both tore around Wentworth Park topping off their preparations for the series’ semi-finals which will be held on Friday October 9.
Shima Shine hit the track first in a solo trial and after carving out a 5.42s first sectional, the Victorian who qualified with near track record runs at Bulli, posted 29.75s.
The talented sprinter was reacquainting himself with Wentworth Park, having not had a start there since this time 12 months ago when he was second to Good Odds Harada in Million Dollar Chase Grand Final, clocking 29.48s in defeat that night.
Flying Ricciardo was drawn in the Free For All with just four rivals, and while he didn’t spear to the front on boxrise, he soon accelerated and raced through the first split in 5.44s.
Once in front it was a matter of times and margins, and when the clock stopped it read 29.74s, and the margin was 4½ length to fellow MDC semi-finalist Blistering. The time was just 0.01s outside Flying Ricciardo’s best time at the track, run in a fifth grade event back in August.
The win took the Kristy Sultana-trained speedster’s record to 15 starts for 13 wins and two seconds.
Another Million Dollar Chase semi-finalist who impressed at Wentworth Park on Wednesday was the Ruth Matic-trained Poppy Jack.
Having just his 17 start, Poppy Jack who qualified with an unlucky third behind Blistering at Goulburn, registered his 10th win, leading throughout to score in 29.79s after posting 5.46s to the first mark.
