Horse racing: The Racketeer earns Brisbane trip

Progressive three-year-old The Racketeer showed all his fighting qualities when he lifted himself off the canvas to take victory in the opening event at Avondale on Tuesday.

Progressive 3-year-old The Racketeer showed all his fighting qualities to win the opening event at Avondale yesterday.

In the process, the powerful son of Proisir has earned himself a ticket to the Brisbane winter carnival with several other members of the Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray stable.

Rider Sam Weatherley took the bull by the horns as he set up a steady pace aboard The Racketeer in the 1400m contest but looked to be in serious trouble when Pour The Wine dashed past him at the 300m and looked set for victory.

Weatherley got to work on the big fellow and he kicked back strongly to forge to the lead again nearing the finish line to post his third career victory.

Ritchie, who is in Australia with 3-year-old filly Maurizma to contest a maiden 1800m event at Eagle Farm next week after finishing an unlucky fourth on debut at Ruakaka earlier in the month, was pleased with the victory.

“He had to win [yesterday] to justify a trip to Brisbane and he has got the job done,” Ritchie said.

“He didn’t corner well and that nearly cost him, so he is going to have to sharpen up if he is going to foot it in Australia.

“We’ll have a look at the race again and it might be he has a gear change for next time, maybe some winkers or even a set of blinkers.

“In saying that, he is still growing and is a pretty laid-back customer who we think will really suit the tracks in Queensland.”

Ritchie purchased The Racketeer for $27,500 out of Rich Hill Stud’s 2021 Book 2 Karaka Yearling Sale draft and was quick to remember one of the gelding’s ownership group in Scott Massey who died recently.

“It was great to get that win as it is the first horse to have raced in Scott’s colours since he passed,” he said. “He was a wonderful man and hopefully this can bring a little ray

of sunshine for his family at such a sad time.”

Ritchie also advised his European import Mahrajaan would be joining the team in Queensland after having his first-up run in an open 1400m event at Te Rapa this weekend.

“We’ve got Mahrajaan earmarked for some of the good Brisbane staying races at this stage,” he said.

“He was going to run at Awapuni last Sunday but we didn’t want to tear his guts out on a very heavy track, so we decided to wait and to send him around at Te Rapa instead.

“He has come up well, and while we are not expecting much over 1400m, we would like to see him running on, as we think once he gets up to 2400m and beyond, he will be pretty competitive.”

Ritchie nominated the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on June 10 as the main target for the son of Kitten’s Joy, who he purchased in England last year for 65,000 guineas.

Later on the card, smart trial performer Just A Floozie lived up

to expectations when she made a winning debut at Avondale in the Avondale Classic (1200m).

The 2-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible and Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) winner Thee Auld Floozie had been impressive winning two of her three trial outings, with punters installing her at the microscopic odds of $1.40 in the traditional Anzac Day feature.

After sitting outside the speed for rider Michael McNab, Just A Floozie looked to be in for a comfortable victory when she strode to the front at the 250m.

However, in the end, it was a close-run thing as she was all out to repel a brilliant late charge from runner-up Orchestral and third-placed runner Molly Bloom, who closed to within a nose and a head respectively at the winning post.

Co-trainer Peter Williams, who prepares the filly in partnership with wife Dawn, was pleased to get a victory on the board as he looks forward to next season.

“I never like it when they go out at odds like that [$1.40] on debut but she got the job done for us,” Williams said. “She was fairly green in the run home and was gawking around and may not have even seen those other two closing on her.

“She has good ability and she can now go to the paddock and have some time off before we get her back for the spring.”