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Prosser Keen To Turn 'Bucketful Of Seconds' Into Grafton Winners (Friday)

3 minute read

Trainer Colt Prosser reckons he's due for a change of luck and is hopeful it arrives at Grafton on Friday.

TALLIS.
TALLIS. Picture: Racing and Sports

After four seconds from his last eight runners (at Grafton, Port Macquarie and Randwick), Prosser will have at least five starters at the Clarence River Jockey Club meeting, including Tallis, Salad Dodger and More Patasi all in the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1025m).

"It was a bucketful of seconds last week so hopefully it's starting to turn around and a win's not far away," Prosser said.

The stable is still getting over the devastating floods that hit northern NSW in March.

"Those floods have taken a toll on everyone and especially the horses. They couldn't run, couldn't train, couldn't do anything," he said.

"It's been a hard couple of months and we're trying to get back on track and get the horses back in form and feeling good.

"They all went off, their coats all turned, it was a horrible few weeks.

"The ones at the farm that got flooded, they're all still agisted out. They can't even return to that property yet. It's still being tested (after sewage was found in the water). I got some sores all over me from being in the water."

Four-year-old gelding Tallis is a prime example. He opened his career in promising fashion, with three minor placings followed by back to back wins.

A third career win came in a Class Two Highway Handicap at Randwick's Kensington track last July. That's the sort of form Colt Prosser wants to see again.

But after a second in the Lightning at Walcha and a sixth at Newcastle in February, Tallis' preparation was interrupted. He's only had the one run since, finishing 12th a month ago.

"His last run he just probably overdid at the 1100, he hadn't had a run for so long," Prosser said.

"I'm hoping he's back to feeling good at home and bouncing out of skin but I just want to see him get back to form because, yes, he is a Highway winner and it's disappointing when you can't go from winning a Highway to winning back in the country."

Salad Dodger is a first-up from a spell and will carry 61.5kg.

His previous campaign included a close-up second in the Jacaranda Cup at Grafton in November. The six-year-old trialled reasonably at Port Macquarie last month and Prosser hopes to set him up for bigger things to come.

"I'm hoping to get a nice run out of him and aim him towards the sprint on Casino Cup day in a couple of weeks' time... and then hopefully he'll aim towards the Grafton carnival again," he said.

Eight-year-old More Patasi will line up for a 50th career start and drops back in distance after a seventh over 1200m at Port Macquarie last month.

Meanwhile Dirty Or Dry, a chestnut gelding by Sepoy, will close out his first preparation in search of a win in the 1025m maiden for colts and geldings.

"He's just a little pony. He's only about 15 hands. He's a real little trier but he might be still just a bit green," Prosser said.

"He's a nice little horse... he's well-bred but he just wasn't quite up to what they need in the city and the owners sent him up to me."

Little Prophet is fourth emergency in the fillies and mares 1025m maiden but is accepted at Murwillimbah on Monday.

Rounding out their runners (all over the same sprint distance at the meeting), Poita will chase his second career win in the Class One Handicap (1025m).

A winner over 900m in October, the three-year-old is having his first run of 2021 and will go in cold after a planned trial was also a casualty of the weather.

Prosser also has two runners in the Highway Handicap at Gosford on Saturday but the luck hadn't quite turned before the barrier draw: Bellastar and Slice Of Heaven drew barriers 16 and 19 respectively.

"Unbelievable! Bellastar run second at Randwick a fortnight ago and I thought this was her race and she's drawn an outside gate. Anyway," he said.


Racing and Sports

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