Punch Up settles lame argument
Neil Archer - The Gold Coast Bulletin - 13 August 2007
A failed veterinary check a few weeks ago has proved to be a blessing for the connections of Punch Up who turned out to be the omen bet of the day at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Jockey Terry Treichel brings the unbeaten Punch Up back to the enclosure on Saturday
The Peter Balzen-trained Punch Up remains unbeaten in two starts after his gritty performance to win a Class 1 Hcp (1300m). Punch Up ($2 fav) wore down Aussie Rock ($5) to score by three-quarters of a length with Expensive Hobby ($12) 1¾ lengths away third.
Punch Up made his racing debut at the Gold Coast on July 21 when he raced away to win a 2YO Maiden (1300m) by two lengths.
A $10,000 Magic Millions graduate, Punch Up was set to be sold to Hong Kong interests before he had even raced after showing ability in his barrier trials. But the deal fell through when he failed a subsequent vet check.
“We received an offer of $100,000 for him but the vet reckoned he was lame in a back leg,” said Balzen.
“But I couldn’t see anything wrong with him at all and I’m very happy we’ve held on to him now.”
Punters who really know their racing history would have identified Punch Up as the omen bet of the day on Saturday afternoon. Punch Up carries the same colours once sported by the former great sprinter San Domenico.
The San Domenico Stakes, introduced in 1980 to honour the champion sprinter of the early 1950s, was run at Randwick on Saturday, less than two hours before Punch Up stepped out at the Gold Coast.
“It was a real omen,” said Balzen. “I’ve had these colours for about 30 years, but before that they were San Domenico’s colours.”
Balzen is delighted with what Punch Up has done so far on the racetrack but doesn’t expect to see the best of him for at least another six months.
“He’s done everything right so far,” he said. “He’s come out on debut to win at 1300m then stepped up to a Class 1 at his next start to beat older horses – you don’t see many of them do that.
“He’ll probably have one more run over 1350m in Brisbane in a fortnight, then go for a break. I think he’ll be a much better horse in another six months when he matures a bit more.”
Punch Up is the first winner for stallion Sunday Knight who stands at Plaintree Farm on the Darling Downs.
Sunday Knight is a beautifully bred unraced son of champion sire Sunday Silence out of the Bletchingly mare Wrap Around.
Stewards slugged jockey Dan Craven with a $1000 fine after his mount Niemcz was beaten on the line by Electric Lady in the F&M Class 1 Hcp (1300m).
Stewards felt Craven had probably cost Niemcz victory when he momentarily stopped riding out the mare inside the 50m.
Electric Lady lunged late to get the verdict by a half head.
Trainer Mel Eggleston got some joy at the end of a difficult week when Hollow Mountain ($13) broke through in the Maiden Hcp (1000m).
Last week was tough for the Eggleston family. Eggleston’s brother Andrew, also a trainer, has been in intensive care in a Gold Coast hospital since a bad accident at Murwillumbah last Monday.
One of Andrew’s horses, set to run in a barrier trial, got free on the track and crashed into him at full gallop.
His injuries include seven broken ribs, a punctured lung and several cracked vertebrae.
“Andrew will be in hospital for at least a few more weeks. He was lucky he wasn’t killed,” said Mel Eggleston.