Claretown Sadie finds winning touch in Rocky

By Jordan Gerrans

Classy bitch Claretown Sadie has certainly made her presence felt since heading north for a Rockhampton Cup campaign and she has found the winning touch around the boxes, as well.

Claretown Sadie was one of four Rockhampton Wildcard heat winners on Wednesday evening from the Callaghan Park complex, progressing through to next week’s decider for a position in the upcoming Rockhampton Cup.

The winner of the Rockhampton Wildcard gains direct entry into the rich Rockhampton Cup Final. 

As has been the case since the white and blue brindle bitch arrived in Central Queensland, she was boxed by trainer Juanita Thompson’s grandson Cooper Robins.

In her six starts over 510 metres at ‘Rocky’, Robins has put the polish on four victories and one second-place finish. 

Claretown Sadie’s winning time of 30.30 seconds on Wednesday night was a little slower than what the Thompson kennel would have expected.

But, she has a 29.71 second personal best effort at the track in recent weeks, which Tungamull-based conditioner Thompson is hopeful she can replicate in the Wildcard Final.

“He boxes her all the time so I told him he needed to do it again for the Wildcard Final,” Thompson said of her grandson Robins.

“If she does not make it through to the Rocky Cup through the Wildcard, he will be boxing her again for the Rocky Cup heats.

“He has boxed her since she has arrived. He might be the winning touch so he will stay with her.”

Juanita trains alongside her husband Clinton. 

Owned by Bradley Mulvihill, Claretown Sadie previously raced around South East Queensland with leading Churchable dog man Warren Nicholls.

While she was a Thursday evening city winner at Albion Park, the daughter of Wow only won twice in 14 attempts around SEQ before heading north to Thompson’s kennels.

Claretown Sadie may return to SEQ following the ‘Rocky’ Cup campaign after building confidence at the northern track.

It is a tried and true method from the Nicholls and Thompson combination.

For example, the Nicholls-owned Dance That Tide has won four recent races and been placed on two more occasions in CQ before heading back to the Churchable kennel.  

“We have had a good relationship with Warren and Tracy for three years or so now,” Thompson said.

“We have been working in with them and they just sent us four maiden dogs to us again this week.”

Claretown Sadie’s winning heat time was the slowest of the four run on Wednesday evening.

She started as a short-priced favourite and just got the money after running into some trouble in the event.

The bitch has reeled off recent victories over the track and trip in 29.71 and 29.78 seconds, so Thompson is confident she can return to her best in the Wildcard decider.

“After last week’s performance (29.78 second win) and seeing as she started from box one, I thought she would have gone out and lead,” the trainer said.

“But, she seemed to struggle to get going at the start on Wednesday night.

“On the back corner, they seemed to bunch up a bit and it took her a while to get going.

“She ended up finishing up well as she was flying at the end. I am hoping she has a good chance next week.”

Rockhampton star Play Dirty set the fastest time in the last of the four heats, scoring in 29.71 seconds for veteran mentor Dallas Beckett.

In 15 starts at the Callaghan Park track, Play Dirty has collected 13 victories, which included a long winning sequence.

Claretown Sadie defeated Play Dirty in a free for all race two starts back.

“Play Dirty will be the dog to beat,” Thompson said about the upcoming Wildcard decider.

“Claretown Sadie has beaten Play Dirty before so if she can get the jump, she is a chance. She will need to be on the ball more than what she was in the heat.”

Edgewood from the Christine Pollard kennel and Steven Scott’s Oorah claimed the other two Wildcard heats on Wednesday evening.