Farm Double Prompts Morton To Plan Dual Townsville Assault

Sun Herald

Sunday June 8, 2008

Craig Young

Well-travelled trainer Leon Morton has unfinished business up north. The former Atherton Tablelands trainer, who has settled in at the Gold Coast after a stint plying his trade in Malaysia, reckons Majestic Sight and Mr Slick can do the job.

Majestic Sight ground out a tough win under leading Victorian jockey Craig Williams to take the opening staying test at Eagle Farm yesterday, while Mr Slick was heavily backed and started favourite before winning the second.

Mr Slick was ridden by Corey Brown, who described the wet Eagle Farm circuit as "the heaviest slow track I've ridden on".

Morton is eyeing off the Townsville Cup in late July for Majestic Sight, with Mr Slick to be set for the feature sprint, the Cleveland Bay.

"They are probably the only two major races I haven't won up there," Morton said, while adding "I'll do a bit of fishing as well."

Morton spent two years training in Kuala Lumpur but he returned to the Gold Coast 21/2 years ago.

Minx has Rose mission

QUEENSLAND owner Bill Murray is set to collect a debt after another victory by Toowoomba juvenile Black Minx. The two-year-old took her record to five wins from six starts despite floundering on the slow Eagle Farm track yesterday.

Murray paid $260,000 for Black Minx, which is by former racetrack star Lonhro, at last year's Magic Millions Sale and included partner Neville Stewart in the ownership.

"We got screwed by the [Sydney] Turf Club in Sydney," Murray said yesterday. "She was made first emergency in the Golden Slipper and in any other year she would have been horse number 10.

"I've got a debt to settle and that's the Golden Rose, if she holds up."

Black Minx is trained by Mark Webb, while jockey Jim Byrne continued the winning run on the filly.

Fat a hot prospect

ALBERT THE FAT was given a resounding thumbs up from jockey Tony Pattillo after his stirring victory at Eagle Farm yesterday, but the performance of runner-up Magic Promenade really caught the eye.

"A very promising horse," Pattillo declared after being slapped on the back by any number of jubilant owners. "He has got a future. They are probably as good as we've got in Queensland, plus a few others, but he has won easily."

The Dale Sutton-trained colt was returning from a let-up having not raced since early April. Magic Promenade was a conspicuous last at the bend but charged late for apprentice Mandy Radecker.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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