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By Grahame Timbrell

Queensland country trainer, Paula Cartledge, has turned to a claiming apprentice unknown in this area to ride Congelator in the HTBA Benchmark 65 (1280m) at Muswellbrook on Friday after he received topweight of 61.5kg.

Orange-based Katelyn Jenkinson, who has never ridden at Muswellbrook, will make the drive for the one ride before returning home, riding work the next morning then heading to Cowra for one ride. However, she already has four rides at Orange on Monday.

Jenkinson quickly outrode her claim at the picnics and has only been riding at the professionals since August but has already kicked home doubles at Wellington and Orange. Cartledge will run the horse on her way home to Oakey after taking both Congelator and Victory Is Mine to Sydney for a short campaign.

“I mainly brought Congelator down as a travelling companion for Victory Is Mine,” Cartledge said. “He is a 1500 metre or 1600 metre horse but I want to keep him ticking over thus my decision to run him at Muswellbrook.

“I would love to see him win, I hope he can but he does not have a great turn of foot. He is a stubborn horse though and will keep battling away.”

Cartledge spent a number of years with John O’Shea before moving north. Congelator is the star of her small team with six wins from 29 starts including a Class five over 1650 metres at Doomben on Melbourne Cup day before following that up with a win in a Benchmark 75 at the Gold Coast.

He was having his first run from a five-week freshen up when second last of eight at Canterbury earlier this month, beaten slightly less than four and a half lengths after racing wide throughout. More may be seen of Cartledge trained horses at Muswellbrook and other Hunter and North West tracks in the future. “I am looking at bringing horses down when I find suitable races and using Armidale as a base,” she said.

Kris Lees has shelved plans to aim High Power at then Derby and instead will run him in easier races including possibly the Muswellbrook RSL Club Class Three (1500m). Lees has also accepted with the horse at Wyong on Saturday and will not make a final decision until the last minute.

“He won his maiden very well but has not gone on with as well as I would have liked,” Lees said. The interest in this race centres on the Marc Conners-trained Celtic Love which has hit a purple patch with wins at his last two starts, both over 1400 metres, at Kembla and Newcastle. Rachael Murray rode him to both wins and has retained the ride.

SELECTIONS
1-1.25, MRS SERVICES GROUP MAIDEN, 900m: EXELLAS 1, Delight 2, Little Steiny 3, Miss Eimar 4.
2-2.00, WILD CARD RACE DAY 1ST APRIL MAIDEN, 1450m: ELKANO 1, Flash Fox 2, Master Of The Turf 3, Augusta In April 4.
3-2.35, BACHMANN PLANT HIRE MAIDEN, 1280m: TABLE MOUNTAIN 1, Aruba 2, Stars Galawe 3, Septango 4.
4-3.10, MUSWELLBROOK RSL CLUB CLASS THREE, 1500m: CELTIC LOVE 1, High Power 2, Fancy Nickers 3, No Effort Needed 4.
5-3.45, SCONE EQUINE HOSPITAL BENCHMARK 60, 1750m: SUGGESTAPARTNER 1, Stan 2, Winner’s Lane 3, Missing In Action 4.
6-4.20, HUNTER VALLEY PRINTING BENCHMARK 55, 900m: MAGIC ERA 1, God I’m Hot 2, Enjoyable 3, Undercarriage 4.
7-4.55, HTBA BENCHMARK 66, 1280m: DUKE 1, The Lion 2, Heidsieck 3, Love None 4.
8-5.30, STRATUM STAR @ WIDDEN STUD CLASS ONE, 1280m: PRICING POWER 1, Prontissimo 2, Could I Be 3, Yeoman 4.
Best Bets: Elkano, Table Mountain

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Muswelbrook here