CHARMER LODGE FEATURE NEWS - MAY 2007

TRACK KNOWLEDGE STAR INGREDIENT Courtesy GRAQ website - 25 May, 2007. ILLUSION Star comes into Saturday night's NQ Intercity Challenge (410m) in Cairns with a decided advantage. Denis Godfrey's high class bitch has already unofficially broken the track record. She boasts a record of six wins and two seconds from just eight starts over 410m. Five of her rivals are making their debut on the Cairns track. And she is perfectly boxed in the eight. The Hallucinate-Fourway Star bitch is the hottest of favourites for the rich final. She ran 23.63 in a hand-timed performance which wold have eclipsed the track record in winning the Cairns final of the Challenge. So the Challenge for her rivals is daunting to say the least. Illusion Star's litter brother Four Way Classic added to the family reputation when a finalist in the Eric Thomson Memorial final at the Gold Coast on Wednesday night. It was a huge performance from him to miss the start hopelessly and still finish fourth. His sister should restore the family tradition on Saturday night.

CHARMER LODGE FEATURE NEWS - MAY 2007

MIAGI A FUTURE CHAMP - Courtesy GRNSW website MIAGI, the new Maitland 565m record holder, stepped up in distance with ease at Richmond on Monday night. The son of Hallucinate and Deloris, who had clocked 31.78sec in his recent Maitland 565m win, scored over 618m in a handy 36.14sec. While that time is hardly sensational, the manner in which the dog won had track regulars agog. Miagi was skittled coming out of the boxes and all but fell. He was forced to give the leader around 30 lengths start going through the catching pen, yet got up to win by over two lengths. Trainer Warren Harper told GRNSW: ``I trialled Miagi over 618 metres at Richmond after his Maitland win and he recorded 35.33sec, jut outside Tears' track record." "I reckon Miagi lost close to a second through interference in Monday's race. The dog is raced by Mark Sheppeard and Darren Willis, the former Wests rugby league star. "Miagi and his litter mates Jekyll and Life Beckons all have ability but lack early speed. Until the Richmond trial Miagi had not trialled any good on his own but he is a terrific race dog." "I am in no hurry to put him over 720 metres at Wentworth Park because he does not turn two until July." I don't want to throw him to the wolves. "He will be back in over 618 metres at Richmond next Monday.'' JEFF COLLERSON

STAYING DEBUT FOR MIAGI IMMINENT - Courtesy GRNSW website SYDNEY's most exciting long-distance prospect Miagi (Hallucinate x Deloris) is poised to make his eagerly-awaited 720m debut at Wentworth Park on June 25. Trainer Warren Harper, at Wentworth Park on Saturday night for the presentation of the Les Harper Memorial, in honour of his late father, said that was his plan. Miagi recently smashed Bush Legend's 565m record at Maitland and last week gave Tears' long-standing Richmond 618m record a nudge. ``I've had dogs long enough to know you can never guarantee they can run 720 metres,'' Harper said on Saturday. ``But judging by Miagi's run-home times I will be astounded if he can't stay. ``He does not turn two until July but I am concerned that if I run him in 520 metre races at Wenty his lack of early speed will cause him to get knocked around too much. ``There are heats of the 720 metre Tedesco Formal Wear Trophy for the best 32 fifth graders at Wenty on June 25 with the final on June 30 and that looks the ideal race for Miagi.'' JEFF COLLERSON

QUICK RETURN FROM THE KING Courtesy GRANSW website KING's Conquest (Hallucinate x Super Sophie), a recent purchase by prominent owner-breeder-trainer Stuart Dickinson, "almost repaid his cost" with a comfortable win at his Wentworth Park debut for his new owner on Saturday night. Despite missing the start from box one, King's Conquest railed through to lead at the first turn, set up a big lead on the back straight, then faded at the finish to win in 30.47sec. Dickinson wasn't perturbed at the dog getting tired in the run home.  "He has had no work,'' Dickinson said later.  "When I bought him from Kon Kola I gave him a couple of 400 metre trials at Richmond and he flew.  "He clocked 22.50 and 22.48 but then tore off his dewclaw.  "I took him to Melbourne for the Maturity Classic heats on May 5 and he ran fourth.  "I knew the dog was under-done but was confident he might be able to pinch tonight's race after he got under 24.60 for me in a post-to-post handslip at Wenty. "King's Conquest cost me a good bit of money but I backed him with the bookies at $3.80 and he paid $4.20 on the TAB tonight and I didn't forget to back him.  "I've got most of my purchase price back.   "King's Conquest is only a puppy, and is eligible for races like the Peter Mosman Classic at Wenty and the Queensland Derby at Albion Park so looks a good buy.'' JEFF COLLERSON

BARRY'S JET FLIES 3 May, 2007. Courtesy David Brash TWO weeks ago Barry Dull was concerned, concerned that his fast improving youngster Dooley’s Jet had a grueling time when second in a Maiden final at Albion Park. The dog had finished second to Kabobulator on a surface that had been turned over by track staff just a few days before and Dooley’s Jet (Hallucinate-Dooley’s Mist) suffered. “It really affected him,” said Dull. “He really suffered from that run. He ached in every muscle he had.” But Dooley’s Jet recovered quickly, so much so that he led throughout to win a heat of the Flying Amy Classic (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night. He scored by three and a quarter lengths running away from City Train in the straight with a half length to Jet Rink in third in 30.37. The dog is a son of Dull’s Group 1 Albion Park Gold Cup winner Dooley’s Mist, from her second litter. “This litter is much better than the first and I’ve got a few that really look like making the grade,” he said. They include Playing Tricks, a brilliant Ipswich Maiden winner two weeks ago, as well as Red Hot Dooley which Dull rates as the best of his. Another littermate, Sam Beau Stanley, in the Shayne Parker kennel, was fastest qualifier in the Vince Curry Series and also third in a heat of the Flying Amy Classic. “There is plenty of improvement in this little dog,” said Dull. “The thing I liked about his run was the 12.86 final section. “I doubt he will be a stayer like his mum, but he will keep improving and be a very handy dog. “He does everything right.” Dull put Dooley’s Jet through the Vince Curry series as well. “He was a bit underdone for the series but got into the quarter-finals like a few of mine from the litter but all of them went terrible and it’s taken me a couple of months to get them back on track,” he said. “They are all back on track now and looking good.” Dooley’s Mist is in pup to champion young sire Surf Lorian.