Like mother like daughter, and as such CHRIS O’Brien has another TAB Million Dollar Chase semi-finalist.
Back in 2019 O’Brien campaigned the talented bitch Banjo Tifia in the Million Dollar Chase. She won the regional final in Nowra to qualify for the Chase semi-finals, before finishing fourth in the semis to Flying Bazza. The following year she began her breeding career, mated with champion sire Fernando Bale.
On Thursday night her daughter Mortified ticked the same first box, qualifying for the semi-finals with a brilliant win in the Regional Final at Dapto.
A stunning 29.55s performance, Mortified gave her rivals no chance, spearing to the front on boxrise and racing away for an ultra-impressive five length win, the sixth of her career from just eight starts.
“It’s unbelievable,” ‘Brien said. “I’m rapt. I thought if this dog can ping out of the boxes and do what she has done in a box to box at Wentworth Park, she has got a real hope of getting out of trouble from the draw and she did exactly that.
“She was scintillating down the back straight and that blew me away.
“I was shaky after the race. I couldn’t believe it. I knew she had it in her but you don’t come out saying she’ll do this or that, they have to do it on the day and they need luck, but she makes her own luck too, and good dogs do that.
“We’re in the semis now. It’s a step closer. She’s gone from a maiden to racing against quality dogs, stepping her way up and she’s matching it with them well and truly.
“It’s (training) hard yakka. It’s seven days, sometimes 24/7 and you do miss out on things. I’ve been doing it for 20 years now. We all need to have a good dog every now and then, all trainers do, and I’m happy for trainers when they win a race because it’s hard work.
“You only do it because you love the dogs and the challenge of getting a dog to the track and winning a race. Even a maiden. I’m rapt when I can win a maiden. To get a dog like this and to win a few races in a row, it’s absolutely beautiful.
“To go to the semis of the big race I’m happy being there mate.”
Runner-up Ritza Donna is now just a win away from featuring in back to back TAB Million Dollar Chase Grand Finals.
Back in May the Mark Gatt-trained sprinter - a Group 1 winner in the Dapto Megastar last December - ran a super race in finishing third behind She’s A Pearl and Coast Model in the Million Dollar Chase Grand Final.
But before she gets there, Ritza Donna will Chase another Group 1 victory on Saturday night in the National Sprint Championship Final at Wentworth Park.
Ritza Donna originally failed to qualify for the final when third behind Simply Limelight in the NSW State Championship Final but was drawn as second reserve. Remarkably with two scratchings, Ritza Donna now gets a start in the National Final.
Third place and also gaining a berth in the semi-finals was the consistent Coco Model, just ahead of Million Dollar Chase runner-up Coast Model.
