Wendy Whiting and Tailgater won the inaugural Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon in 2014
The twelve combinations to contest the Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon at Caulfield in August for a prize pool of $15,000 have been announced
Racing Victoria (RV) has announced the 12 horse and rider combinations that will compete in the second Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon at Caulfield on Saturday, 29 August
The event, which was held for the first time last year, will be hosted by the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) with the support of RV and the Victorian Government between races on the Group 1 Memsie Stakes program.
The final line-up of 12 combinations, which is limited to retired thoroughbred racehorses competing at 1* level, includes a Group 1-winning horse, a gelding formerly trained by Bart Cummings, one of Australia’s leading eventing riders and the daughter of a champion jockey. They are;
- Charlotte Littlefield and Playing The Field – Owned and trained by Hall of Fame legend and ‘Cups King’ Bart Cummings, Playing The Field has found his true calling in equestrian for Littlefield after being retired from racing a maiden after three unsuccessful starts
- Georgina Birrell and Lineball (Raced as Regents Point) – After a 32 length defeat in his Hong Kong debut, Lineball was transferred to Victoria where he won one race from five starts for trainer Grant Craven
- Hannah Way and Mr Percival (Drizzle) – Formerly trained by veteran Victorian horseman Gary Sherer, Drizzle became something of a cult hero after he twice claimed the lucrative Magic Millions Stayers Cup on the Gold Coast and collected more than $450,000 in prizemoney during a 54-start racing career
- Katja Weimann and Dapoint (pictured above) – One of Australia’s premier eventers and in consideration for next year’s Rio Olympics, Weimann will combine with former Mick Kent-trained gelding Dapoint in a bid to add the Triequithon crown to her glittering list of career wins
- Keyarra Lee Smith and Sir Frasdaf (Frasdaf) – A Hamilton maiden winner that was unplaced in 13 subsequent starts on the track, 14-year-old Frasdaf and Smith have built a strong association in CCI1* events across Victoria in recent seasons
- Lyndal Yelavich and Fiftyshadesofgrey (Erewhon) – A seven-year-old son of Commands whose racing career was highlighted by a win in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick
- Nina Griffiths and Mr Ali (Nelson Storm) – The niece of superstar Australian eventer and 2014 Badminton winner Sam Griffiths, Nina Griffiths will partner Mr Ali, a 10-year-old gelding that was collectively beaten by more than 100 lengths in his 11 unplaced starts on Victorian racetracks
- Rob Palm and Koko Pop (Ebony Act) – The pair hinted at a big future together when they combined in June to claim the Off the Track-sponsored CCI1* class at the Saddleworld Melbourne International Horse Trials
- Sam Jeffree and Mighty Midget (Vice Regal Eagle) – One of Victoria’s leading young eventers, popular teenager Jeffree has turned around the fortunes of Mighty Midge in retirement after a racing career that yielded four unplaced starts for three different trainers
- Simon Tainsh and Magnetically – An Encosta De Lago half-brother to 2014 Grand National Hurdle winner Wells that was purchased for $130,000 as a yearling, Magnetically was retired from trainer John Sadler’s stable in 2012 as a maiden after eight starts.
- Tayla Childs and Langarra (Haka Man) – The teenage daughter of champion jockey Greg Childs will make her racetrack debut at the scene of her father’s two Caulfield Cup wins aboard Northerly (2002) and Railings (2005).
- Stephanie Thornton and Dunking – A member of Racing Victoria’s Apprentice Jockey Training Program, talented teenager Thornton is returning for a second attempt at Triequithon glory after an unplaced finish on Dunking in 2014.
Four reserve combinations have also been selected.
TThe 2014 Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon was won by Wendy Whiting aboard the former Neil Dyer-trained gelding, Tailgater – read our coverage, view our videos and photos plus listen to our interviews of last year’s event here
