One-two punch in Charlton Cup for Sandersons

Victoria’s Sanderson family surprised no one with a triumphant return ‘home’ to quinella today’s (Mar 16) Community Bank Charlton Pacing Cup for a group of passionate local harness racing owners.

Stable stars Catalpa Rescue (American Ideal), driven by Ryan Sanderson, and Dangerous (Sweet Lou), driven by younger sister Abby, were sent out favorite and second favorite in the Cup, and the market was on the money, providing their father, trainer Shane, with a special result.

Catalpa Rescue prevailed by five metres over Dangerous, with third favorite Jilliby Nitro (Lochie Cooke/Marg and Paddy Lee) filling the final placing.

See all the Charlton Cup results and replays click here. 

“It’s a big thrill – it’s like a hometown cup to us.  We didn’t mind which one won, as long as one of them did!” Sanderson said.

“Charlton has been very good to us. It was a good career move for us and there are great people in the town, so we’ve loved being here, supporting the club and catching up with some friends,” he said.

Although they are now based on their own property, the picturesque pre-training and conditioning complex “Willowood” at Murchison, near Shepparton, Shane and Naomi Sanderson established themselves at Charlton Training Centre for three years.  They made the move from Menangle with the aim of providing better harness racing career opportunities for Ryan, now 21 and Victoria’s leading concession driver, and Abby, 19, who has 78 career wins.

In their time at Charlton the Sandersons also attracted some avid new owners to the stable, district locals Paul and Danny Lowry, Rob Hodge, John Wilson, Leon Hogan and Max Dillon who have ownership of both Dangerous and Catalpa Rescue.

“Dangerous has always got more of the accolades but truly there’s not much between them as we work them on the track at home,” Sanderson said.

“We probably haven’t really produced Catalpa at the races quite right a lot of the time, but as he is becoming much more mature, he’s become a great little racehorse,” he said.

“We’re just so happy for the kids and for the owners as well – I’m sure they will celebrate this one!”

Dependable six-year-old mare Wish Upona Dream (Wishing Stone) again upset her more fancied rivals in an action-packed North West Ag Charlton Trotters Cup.

Trotting all the way is the name of the game in winning square gaiting races – even big ones – and Wish Upona Dream is developing an impressive strike rate of doing just that.

Her win in the Stawell Trotters Cup in December was unforgettable when the unassuming-looking mare with the impeccable manners cleared out by 50 metres from the standing start and won by 20 metres.

In the Charlton Trotters Cup, she again began like a bullet to lead, then handed up but looked a place chance at best in the latter stages, according to driver Kerryn Manning.

“Around the bend I was hoping to battle on for third.  I thought Parisian Artiste (the favorite in the death-seat) was looking a bit tired, and I thought maybe I can get to second,” Manning said after the race.

“But then the leader (Mercenary) made a mistake…and here we are!” she laughed.

Mercenary was well clear of his rivals when he switched into a pace 50-metres from the line, a godsend for the opportunistic Manning and Wishuponadream, who finished strongly up the sprint lane to score by 1.2metres.

Trainer Bec Morrissey was equally surprised with Wish Upona Dream’s success in what she termed a “quality field”.

“It was a bit of ‘girlpower’ today!  But it was very unexpected.  I just told Kez to give her the quietest run you can because it’s such a quality field,” Morrissey said

“I was extremely excited, screaming my head off cheering for third – then I was asking people after the race if she’d won!”

Charlton was Wish Upona Dream’s third Cup victory, adding to the Stawell Cup and the Boort Cup 12 months ago.  She has now had 81 career starts for 11 wins and 21 placings for $116K in stakes.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink