All Natural heading to Ipswich for unfinished business

By Pat McLeod

All Natural is ready for some unfinished business in the Ipswich Cup, according to trainer Selena Zammit.

The experienced Group performer returned to the winner’s list with a class win in a best eight race at Albion Park on Thursday night.

“He showed that fitness-wise he is ready for the Ipswich Cup series,” Zammit said. 

“He is where we want him to be. So, he is there and we will be there, at Ipswich.”

Zammit said All Natural needed Thursday night’s run to convince her and co-trainer, husband Mick Zammit, that the dog was ready for an Ipswich Cup campaign.

It was just his second race start back after a three-month injury break.

“This was just a test for him,” she said after the four-length win over litter mate, Here Wolfe (trained by Brad Belford), with Speed Zone (Travis Elson) third, in 29.86 seconds. 

“We now go to the Ipswich Cup with confidence because he is racing as well as he ever has. That time, that performance shows that.

“There is certainly unfinished business to take care of at Ipswich. He won a heat of the Cup last year and then drew box one in the Final. However, he was scratched from the Final when we discovered he had a fractured hock.

“We were devastated. But, he has come back from all of that and some other injuries. After the Ipswich Cup, we have The Flame and then the summer carnival.

"He turns four at the end of the month, but as this shows he is running like a two-year-old. So, while he is performing at his best, and enjoying it, why not continue to have a go.”

To date, All Natural has won $335,225 from 47 race starts for 23 wins and 16 placings.

Prominent local trainer Tom Tzouvelis and NSW trainers and breeders, Sonia and Peter Davis, appear set to continue to mine a rich vein of success with super brood bitch Sherbini.

Saiph, from Sherbini’s latest litter, debuted at Albion Park on Thursday night, winning a novice race over 520 metres and breaking 30 seconds with a 29.96 second performance.

“That was great to see, but not entirely unexpected,” Tzouvelis' kennel lieutenant Jedda Cutlack said. 

“It is hard not to have a bit of an expectation around this litter, given the previous Sherbini litters have been so good.

“There are certainly no complaints with the ones that have hit the track so far.

“They have probably got some more early speed than the others did, but they are also a little excitable in the boxes.”

Sherbini, who had 31 starts for 11 wins and six placings for $52,980 in prize money, has been a gold mine for the Davis’ in the breeding barn.

Her first litter, to Ritza Lenny, had moderate track success, with eight pups from the litter totalling $190,535 in prize money.

However, the next two litters have been outstanding, with the majority of those runners being sent to the Tzouvelis kennel.

Her second litter, to Konomi, has resulted in prize money so far of $672,004 from runners such as Scintillate ($180,660) and Sorority ($164,815).

The third litter, to Superior Panama, to date has reaped $653,790 in prize money from progeny such as Saanvi ($218,760) and Scarlatti ($173,465).

Indications from the latest litter, to Koblenz, are just as promising with its most precocious pup, Shaula, recently taking out the Million Dollar Chase Maiden Final at Wentworth Park in a sizzling 29.33 seconds. 

Shaula was to have started on Thursday night at Albion Park, but, according to Cutlack, the kennel had decided to scratch her because ‘she wasn’t quite 100 per cent’.

Cutlack says the Tzouvelis kennel has seven of the litter.

“With these dogs you have to stop yourself from being too excited,” Cutlack said.

“You can't get too wrapped up in what might be. Anything can trial good, but they have to do it in a race.

“Of course, it's impossible not to get a little excited when you see dogs trial so well and knowing what the previous litters have done.”

Thursday night was another great program for the Tzouvelis kennel, collecting four wins – Saiph (race one), I’m Peakin’ (race five), Prim And Precise (race seven) and Simulate (race 10).  

Meanwhile, master mentor Tony Zammit is planning a switch to Ipswich for his WA visitor Skye Monelli after she tasted more success over the Albion Park 710 metres on Thursday night.

In a free for all over the longer distance, the Orson Allen and Leisel Monelli chaser scored by three-and-a-quarter lengths over Springtime Rose (Sean Galloway) and Instant Cash (Tim Britton) in 42.14 seconds.

“She has no early speed, but one thing she does do very well is she rails very well,” Zammit said.

“I was impressed with the way that she actually went around them on the home turn. That shows some good field sense.

“There is a 630 metre feature (the Past Members Trophy) next Thursday night as part of the Ipswich Cup heats program, so I will probably place her in that.

“It’s a $45,000 race and being a good railer, that track will suit her.”

Chris Brydon’s Garrison took out the 600 metre fifth grade Final at Albion Park on Thursday night in 34.72 seconds. 

Second was Jason Aylward’s Orson Apatite, with Legendary Danger (Tom Tzouvelis) third.