Gardoll kennel ready to party with spirit

By Jordan Gerrans

It was only superstar chaser Morton who stood in the way of the Gardoll kennel lifting the 2024 Queensland Derby and the team will use Thursday’s The Spark Final at Albion Park as a steppingstone back to the feature.

The Northern NSW-based father-and-son team of Reg and Craig Gardoll will have exciting kennelmates Spirit Boy and Party Mode in Thursday’s Spark decider after each winning a heat last Thursday evening.

There is $18,780 on offer in The Spark but the $112,500 and Group 2 prize of the Derby looms large for the Gardolls.

Victorian Morton took the Derby home in the first week of January this year, putting almost six lengths on Party Mode in the finish.

Party Mode has hit top form at the right time ahead of another Derby tilt, claiming the Group 3 Casino Cup last month before scoring in last Thursday’s Spark heat in 30.45 seconds. 

Spirit Boy (five) and Party Mode (six) have drawn side-by-side for Thursday’s 520 metre contest.

“They have sure been good dogs to us,” Craig - who is listed as the trainer - said of the pair. 

Craig’s father Reg was full of praise of Spirit Boy following last Thursday’s heats, noting he had a couple of key assets.

“He has got early pace and that is always a big advantage,” Reg said.

“He also has a fantastic temperament.”

On the other hand, Party Mode missed the jump in last Thursday’s heat but stuck to the rails in the opening stages and eventually a passage to the front opened.

Craig was left scratching his head why race favourite Party Mode did not begin well but was glad to see he did enough to qualify for the Final.

Also starting as a well-supported commodity in the market last Thursday, Spirit Boy finally ticked the 520 metre box at Albion Park in a winning time of 30.06 seconds.

The fawn dog had headed north from his Pillar Valley kennel on two prior occasions for 520 metre events without success.

“That was his third time over 520 metres up there and the first couple of times, he just couldn’t get there,” Craig said.

“But, in the heats, he went pretty good.

"They both went pretty good."

Like his kennel mate Party Mode, Spirit Boy has also tasted feature success on the Northern Rivers in recent times, claiming the Mid North Coast Cup at Taree on November 6 over 525 metres.

Spirit Boy finished fourth in the Casino Cup Final as well. 

Party Mode is raced by Lance Day who is a long-term supporter of the Gardoll kennel.

"We ran second in the Derby to a very good dog (Morton) up there in Queensland and now (we've won this race). I'm tickled pink for our main owner Lance," Reg said after the Casino Cup triumph.

The Queensland Derby Final will be run on January 2 of 2025 with the heats on Friday December 27.  

Craig identified Affluent from the John McCarthy team as the one to beat in Thursday’s Spark.

The son of Aston Rupee went 29.95 seconds – the quickest of the four heats - from the eight in the heats and has drawn the prized red starting position.

“The one is the danger,” Craig said.

“He went the quickest last week and looks a good dog."