The best news for Nathan at the weekend was not necessarily Saturday night when he and Aaron Sanderson hit a hundred with both OSCAR BONAVENA and RUBINA (pictured in work at Addington) scoring impressive wins in their opening salvo at the Queensland Winter Carnival.
For Nathan this could raise hopes for Rubina’s intended start in the $A300,000 Rising Sun on July 5 a three and four year old event where the three year olds are natually at some disadvantage.
“The way he won on Saturday has changed my thinking. We were rating the Rising Sun more as a leadup to the Derby but on that run and where I think he can go from here he must rate a chance”
Before that there is the $A52k Redcliffe Derby on Saturday week and Nathan was looking forward to it.
“I rated him arund 90 per cent going into Saturday and watching the race I though I had misjudged that.He raced like he was 100. So I was pleased to find that he has come thru actually better again. That is very encouraging at this stage”
” Oscar is the same. He was great before the race and before it I told anyone who asked that if he couldn’t win he was not a Grand Final winner but he raced like he could be and came out of the race even better”
As for Aaron he has a bonus coming up-a drive on Oscar if or when he makes the Interdom Final the first heats of whch are on July 5.
Oscar Bonavena -added one more to the list in free for all at Albion Park on Saturday
‘He has been driving ours tops and now Dad,who was planning to come over to drive in the Grand Final has changed his plans and probably won’t come. We have plenty of confidence in Aaron.”
Mark is due home from Canada this week and will drive the only stable representative at Alexandra Park on Friday in Treacherous Baby.This also means Nathan’s time in Queensland has been extended.
“I was smiling Saturday night but if I come home with a bigger smile on my face that will mean things have turned out well”