It seems there is never a big race series at Wentworth Park without one of Minnie Finn's Flying Ricciardo-Poco Dorado litter engaged, and Friday's semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase will be no exception, featuring two siblings, Gets Late Early and Both Bower Ace.
Both Bower Ace
Trained by Finn for their breeders, Denis Donoghue and Peter McDermott, Gets Late Early won her city qualifier at Wentworth Park on Saturday night in 29.91 while her litter brother and kennelmate Both Bowers Ace ran down Speedy Pie to win his qualifier by a head in 29.78.
Gets Late Early has now won 34 of 105 starts and earned $393,000, while Both Bowers Ace has faced the starter on 110 occasions for 29 wins and $236,000 in stakes.
Gets Late Early
Ironically, Minnie Finn is keen to retire Gets Late Early.
"She doesn't have anything left to prove and has such a beautiful temperament, I want to keep her in my house as a companion for Zipping Kyrgios, who finished second, beaten a head, by McInerney in the 2022 Million Dollar Chase final,'' Finn said.
"He is my house pet but is getting a bit lonely and he will be a great mate for Gets Late Early.''
Finn won four of Saturday's eight MDC city qualifiers, also getting Zipping Xaden and Zipping Dekkers into Friday night's semi-finals.
Raced by Finn's main owner clients, Fiona and Marty Hallinan, Zipping Xaden won his qualifier by 16 lengths in 29.45, fastest time of the MDC events on Saturday.
Zipping Dekkers, an older half-sister to Zipping Xaden and also owned by the Hallinans, ran down Lakeview Emily to prevail by a nose in 29.57.
The other MDC city qualifiers were taken out by the Tom Dailly-trained Smooth Plane in 29.59, Tony Godden's Trunkey Chief in 29.62, Coast Rig, trained by Minnie Finn's sister Patricia Chaker in29.73, and My Boy Bingo, prepared in Victoria by Ken Bailey, who led throughout in 29.80.
Bailey is an ownership share-holder of the Jason Thompson-trained crackerjack Tim Zoo, who has won 27 races and over $826,000.
Paw Oswald and Paw Qwan, who have already qualified for the MDC semi-finals after filling the quinella in the Broken Hill regional final on September 14, were brilliant winners on Saturday night.
Paw Qwan led throughout from box eight to win a 520m fifth grade in a slick 29.56 while Paw Oswald, who edged out his kennelmate at Broken Hill and won the group one National Derby at Wentworth Park in January, led all the way in 29.57.
"I'd say Paw Oswald is usually slightly quicker but there is hardly anything between them,'' their trainer Mark Delbridge said on Saturday night.
"Paw Oswald faded a bit in the straight tonight and he has been doing that lately, and at Sandown Paw Qwan has clocked 29.18 while Paw Oswald's fastest there in 29.34.''
Firethorn and Late Night News are early favourites for the group two 720m Sydney Cup, which gets under way with heats at Wentworth Park on Friday night, but rookie stayer Ayden's Warrior burst onto the scene on Saturday.
