Fluro Neuro sprang a $61 surprise in the LR Bolton Sprint (1200m) at Belmont a fortnight ago and he can double up at double-figure odds again in the LR Belmont Newmarket (1200m) on Saturday.
Now a 7yo son of Yarradale Stud sire Gingerbread Man, he will shoulder top-weight of 59.5kg but the inside barrier should allow Chloe Azzopardi to conserve ground before closing along the fence over the same track and trip.
Fluro Neuro snatched a last stride victory over Snowdome (Rommel) in the Bolton Sprint after being presented down the centre of the track. “It’s all about just keeping him happy,” Azzopardi revealed. “He really winds up and was strong at the end. All credit to the horse. It was a huge run.”
I Love Ya Money and Pike win at Northam / Photo: Western Racepix
Gingerbread Man can sire an earlier winner on Saturday with I Love Ya Money a $4.60 second-favourite in the Ted McAuliffe Hcp (1400m). He’s trained by Mitch Pateman for Justin Warwick and will once again have the services of Willie Pike.
I Love Ya Money won as he pleased for Pike in a Northam maiden over 1300m last month but was then caught wide for apprentice Holly Nottle last time out at Belmont. “He was my first winner for Mitch that day at Northam,” Pike said. “Now the monkey’s off my back for the step up in distance.”
Gingerbread Man kicked-off this season like he finished the last when True Fiction won the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1200m) on August 1. He was bred at Darling View Thoroughbreds and is from their mare Mystic Maid (Patronize) who was runner-up in the 2015 editions of the G2 Karrakatta Plate and G3 Gimcrack Stakes.
Yarradale was also in the frame at Belmont on Wednesday when The Rocket (Toronado) was heavily backed before blitzing the Lawn Pride Maiden (1300m). He was bred by Yarradale and Dawson Stud in partnership and carries the same pink and blue colours as Gingerbread Man’s G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Beatty.
They’re both trained by Sean and Jake Casey for Wally and Maureen Daly and The Rocket cost Maureen $230,000 at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions. He started an odds-on favourite and is odds-on to return that price-tag with interest this season.
Yarradale owner Lyn Sayers and Dawson’s Graeme Daws also have a Playing God new-season yearling half-sister to The Rocket who was always travelling like a winner on Wednesday. “We came here confident he was a good chance after doing things wrong first-up last month,” Sean Casey said.
“He was wayward that day at Northam but was genuine for Chris (Parnham) today. He jumped clean and had them covered a fair way out. We have expectations but it’s still baby steps at this stage.”
The Rocket is bred in the purple through his dam Secret Mak (Lonhro) who has already thrown Gingerbread Man’s black-type filly Valency. Second-dam Most Secret (Bletchley Park) was a multiple Stakes-winning 2yo at Ascot and foaled Covertly (G1 Railway Stakes), So Secret (G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes) and Crack The Code (G3 MRC Kevin Hayes Stakes).
Yarradale continued to build its broodmare portfolio with the addition of classic filly Kimberley Rose (Hellbent) for $50,000 at the Magic Millions July Digital Sale. She was an Ascot winner over 2200m for trainer Stephen Miller and was also runner-up in last year’s LR Belmont Oaks (2000m).
Her dam Ambers Waltz (Danehill Dancer) was a 2yo debut winner at Rosehill and was also black-type placed on five occasions as a two and three year-old for Keith Biggs. “Kimberley Rose will visit Playing God first-up this season,” studmaster Davy Hanratty said. “She’s a very good-looking mare from a family that Yarradale knows well. Ambers Waltz is a half-sister to our homebred colt War Saint (War Chant) who won a G2 WA Guineas (1600m).”
Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) stands alongside Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) at Yarradale and they are both priced at $5,500 (inc GST) service fees this season. For all enquiries contact Davy Hanratty on 0429 336 904.
