Fenlon booked for Grand de Lago ride

By Glenn Davis

A reluctant decision by trainer Darryl Johnston to bypass last month’s Country Stampede Final in Brisbane could reap an unexpected dividend at Rockhampton on Tuesday.

Johnston intended to send his fully qualified sprinter Grand de Lago south for the $105,000 Country Stampede Final at Doomben before deciding to pull the pin on the seven-hour trip.

“He was fully qualified but I decided not to go,” Johnston said.

“It would have meant the end of his campaign. I didn’t want to flatten him as I thought he still had a few more runs left in him this preparation.

“He’s picked up $10,000 in prizemoney since then so he decision not to go has paid off.”

Apprentice hoop Tahlia Fenlon has been booked to partner Grand de Lago on Tuesday. 

Johnston is hoping for more joy with Grand de Lago or stablemate Mr Tangles who clash in for the Open Handicap at Rockhampton on Tuesday.

“They were both due to run at Calliope on Boxing Day but the meeting was called off so they’ll go around at Rocky,” Johnston said.

The nine-year-old Grand de Lago is coming off a second to the Ian Prizeman-trained Svindal in a 1000 metre Open Handicap at Gladstone on December 14.

Mr Tangles finished third at his latest appearance behind his stablemate in a 1212 metre Open Handicap at Bundaberg on December 7.

“Both are good bush horses but they’re not quite up to the provincials around this area,” Johnston said.

“Mr Tangles might need the run but I think he’ll qualify for next year’s Country Stampede Final.

“This is his fourth run in but he’s probably a couple of lengths behind open company horses.

“Grand de Lago is not usually a 1000 metre horse but he grows a leg in the sand and he was only just beaten by Svindal who broke the track record last start.

“He’ll probably get back over the 1050 metres and he’s not the same horse on the grass but he’ll be competitive again.”

Johnston believes the Open Handicap has several chances and rates the Ricky Vale-trained Track Tale as the main threat.

Track Tale is an eight time winner in only 17 starts and has missed a place only once in his career.

The four-year-old hasn’t raced since placing in the Magic Millions Whitsunday Guineas at Mackay in the middle of August but has trialled twice on his home track and has an excellent record of two wins from three starts first-up.