By Julieanne Horsman
Barbara Joseph and Paul Jones will host the official opening of their new satellite stable at Sapphire Coast Turf Club this Sunday and they’re hoping to make it a day to remember at the races as well.
The mother and son team with saddle up five horses at the Sapphire Coast Jazz Festival Race Day and they rate Darts Away in The Merimbula Cup among their best chances.
“He’s got no weight on his back and no excuses,” Barbara Joseph said. Darts Away was impressive in the Country Cup at Scone on 12th May, flying home late to finish 4th. Two weeks later he also finished strongly in the Nowra Cup but had gotten too far back and came 8th of 13.
“It was a leader-biased track and while he did his best work late, he’d given up too much of a lead,” Joseph said. “He will need to be sitting up on the pace on Sunday. He’s been going well though.”
Always Flushed is also in with a chance in the Schute Bell Badgery Lumby & Monaro Wool Class 2 Handicap (1200m).
“I was really happy with the way she hit the line at Wagga last start and we learned something about her that day,” Joseph said. “I think we’ll take a sit not too far off the pace and let her have one good go at them.”
Always Flushed drops in grade slightly, has drawn well in barrier 1 and won at this track earlier in the year.
Former Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott galloper Eradicator makes his debut in the GJ Gardner Homes 2YO/3YO Maiden Plate (1200m).
He held his own in a 740m open trial at Royal Randwick in January, finishing ahead of recent Group 1 winner Redzel.
“We gave him a jump out the other day and were happy with that,” Joseph said. “He’s only a small horse and I would have preferred a 1000m race but we’ve got to get him started.”
Brazen Choice with fly the JJR flag in in the McDonalds Merimbula & Bega Maiden Handicap (1400m).
With a record of six starts and no wins, Joseph admits Brazen Choice has been disappointing so far but puts it down to him being a slow learner.
“He’s only really starting to get it together now,” Joseph said.
“He drops back in class and has experienced jockey Adrian Layt on which is what he needs. He needs a jockey who is going to make him work all the way.”
Joseph is adamant his last run at Goulburn should be forgiven and forgotten and she’s confident he’ll be bringing his form from Wagga the start before.
“The run at Wagga was fantastic,” she said. “He overcame barrier 16 and came from last at the turn to finish less than two lengths behind the winner.”
Everyone is welcome to attend the opening of the new Joseph Jones Racing stables at Sapphire Coast Turf Club this Sunday. A champagne breakfast will be served between 10:30am and 11:30am with the first race set to jump at 12:30pm.
View the fields and form (including race replays) for Sapphire Coast's Sunday meeting here.