Our Dashing Dane On Double Mission in Launceston Cup
- Tuesday, 15 February 2005 00:00
The 2005 AAMI Hobart Cup produced a fairytale result for young Cradoc trainer Jason Clifford when his lightly raced five-year-old Our Dashing Dane scored a convincing win in the Group 3 race over 2100m at Elwick on Monday.
Our Dashing Dane outgunned the favourite Under The Bridge in the home straight to defeat that horse by more than a length with Surge Of Power a fast-finishing third.
Now Clifford has set his sights on snaring the double as Our Dashing Dane heads to the $200,000 AAMI Launceston Cup at Mowbray next Wednesday (February 23).
Our Dashing Dane was first emergency and only gained a start at Elwick when Riley Redwing bowed a tendon four days before the race, paving the way for Clifford’s talented gelding to gain a start.
It was a dream come true for Clifford who has only been training for four years and Our Dashing Dane (Ladoni-Royal Theme) is the first horse, which he bought for a modest $2500 as a yearling to launch his training career.
“This is unbelievable. At one stage it looked like we would miss out and while I feel for the owners of Riley Redwing, I’m rapt things worked out as they did,” Clifford said.
“I genuinely believed he would finish in the top four because his previous start in the St Leger was great at weight-for-age and he dropped to 51kg today.
“I started to look at this race after he won a Class 2 handicap in Launceston last year and I was just hoping and praying he’d get a start.”
It also was a momentous occasion for Victorian jockey Christine Puls who gave Our Dashing Dane the run of the race.
“I was so thrilled when Jason (Clifford) called me to confirm the horse had gained a start because I thought he’d be a real chance,” Puls said.
“His run in the St Leger was full of merit because he was gone 200 metres out but refused to lay down and he again showed that courage, only this time he had a distinct weight advantage.
“This is my biggest win and I am really looking forward to riding him in the AAMI Launceston Cup,” she said.
Our Dashing Dane has incurred a two-kilogram penalty for the AAMI Launceston Cup but Clifford believes his stable star is still well in with 53kg.
“I knew he’d get a penalty and expected two kilograms but this horse will handle the weight rise and it’s not too significant,” he said.
Our Dashing Dane is owned and raced by the Rocky Affair Stud syndicate of which the trainer is manager with one of the other major shareholders being Mrs Beverley Keating and her husband Maurice who is one of Tasmania’s leading harness racing identities.
Clifford, 32, who trains only a small team of six at his property at Cradoc, took out a trainer’s licence on a whim.
“My Dad (Wayne) had suffered a broken back in a work accident and he was hanging about waiting for a pay-out so I thought I’d buy him a horse to cheer him up,” Clifford said.
“I got him a mare and she wasn’t much good but she produced a horse called Devon Affair that won a race so I guess my interest started back then.
“I bought this horse at the Tasmanian yearling sales and I almost conned my way into getting a trainer’s licence.
“I have never been afraid to ask questions and I’ve had some help from some good people in this industry along the way,” he said.
The connections of Under The Bridge must decide whether to target the AAMI Launceston Cup or stay at home and tackle the $175,000 Mornington Cup over 2000m on the same day.
Under The Bridge’s rider Kelvin Sanderson said the gelding is probably better suited over 2000m and that stablemate Bondy is more likely to represent the stable in the AAMI Launceston Cup.
Media Release - AAMI Launceston Cup
