Ahrens hopes the drought is over

By Glenn Davis

After a drought breaking win at Dalby last Saturday, trainer Ben Ahrens is hopeful his luck can continue on his home track at Beaudesert.

Ahrens landed his first win of the season when Without Choice shed his maiden status at Dalby, and now the popular Beaudesert trainer is looking for more glory from his two hometrack runners on Tuesday.

Ahrens will saddle up Nice Retort in the Class Three Handicap (1650m) and Arise My Son in the Maiden Plate (1400m).

Nice Retort was placed in two of his last start three starts, including a recent third to the Barry Lockwood-trained Boreas in a 1600-metre Class One at Gatton on September 1.

His stablemate Arise My Son beat only one runner home at his most recent outing when sixth to the Michael Nolan-trained Sarasun in a 1640-metre Maiden at Toowoomba on September 12.

“I think Nice Retort has a very good chance and he was scratched from Dalby last Saturday to run in this,” Ahrens said.

“His last run at Gatton was quite good when he crossed from an outside gate and got fired up.

“He’s not drawn as bad drawn this time so hopefully he can settle better and run well again.”

Ahrens, who is best known as the trainer of former top stayer Spechenka, has 20 horses in work at his Beaudesert property and hopes the tide has turned after his Dalby win.

Spechenka earned almost $530,000 in prizemoney during his career with 12 wins from 61 starts.

His best wins were in the Group 3 Summer Cup (2400m) at Randwick in 2010 and Group 3 Queens Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm in 2012.

He also won the 2400-metre Listed Caloundra Cup over 2400 metres in 2011.

“We started off the season pretty well but we’ve had one of those runs every trainer goes through,” he said.

“I reckon I had a worse run a few years ago but until Saturday’s Dalby win, this had been my second worst run.”

Ahrens has booked Ryan Wiggins to partner Arise My Son, who was beaten more than seven lengths at Toowoomba.

“If you take out his Toowoomba run, his form is not too bad,” he said.

“For some reason Toowoomba is Toowoomba and horses can often run a bad race up there under lights for the first time.

“His run before when he ran fifth at Eagle Farm was good as he was trapped deep from the outside alley and knocked up.

“You could have made a case for him being unlucky not to win at Eagle Farm.”