Judging the respective abilities of a crop of two-year-olds can be a puzzle so early in a season, but another piece of the jigsaw is set to fall into place in tomorrow night’s Renown Silverware Sapling Stakes at Tabcorp Melton Park.
A quality field of 10 juveniles will clash over 1720m for a share in a $24,000 purse, with every runner bar one never finishing further back than fourth in their career.
Debbie Quinlan said the untapped quality of the field meant there were no “big expectations” for her first-start winner Leosabi, who she trains with husband Gary.
But there was no such uncertainty when the pair first laid eyes on the colt – affectionately known as ‘Leo’ – two days after his birth at the property of breeder Greg Fusinato.
“We actually picked him as a foal; Gary loved him from the first time he saw him at Greg’s,” Debbie said.
“We had seen him and watched him raised and, they don’t miss nothing at Greg’s, they look after them really well. We tried to buy him before the (Australian Pacing) Gold sales but Greg’s a seller and he said no, I take them to the sales to be sold, which is fair enough.”
With Leo’s impressive breeding – his mother, Glenferrie Alexis won 19 races and $288,323 and granddam Alegria’s six foals have all won at least $81,000 – Gary thought the chance to snap him up was gone.
But Debbie had other ideas.
CHECK OUT FIELDS FOR RENOWN SILVERWARE SAPLING STAKES NIGHT
“When we were at the sales I walked away from everybody and bought him with one bid,” she said.
“Gary later on said ‘gosh, Greg sold Leo for 30, I thought he would have made more’ and I said ‘actually, I bought him for you’.”
Debbie said they kept a third share in Leo and syndicated the remainder out to several others, including “people who have never been in harness racing”.
“(There’s) all sorts of people who have got little shares. He is a little bread and butter horse, they are just going in for fun,” she said.
“There are no big dreams, yes, he is paid up for the APG but he would want to step up to other levels to be worthy.
“There are a lot of very good trainers in Victoria who have two-year-olds going very good so unless he keeps stepping up to the mark, we wouldn’t run him in it to make up the numbers.”
Leosabi wasn’t making up the numbers when he won at Kilmore on debut, holding off a gallant Shaq – and several others who he will meet again on Saturday night – in a 1:58.0 mile rate on February 25.
Debbie said it was a “fairytale” start to the trots for the owners new to the sport.
“Kilmore wouldn’t have heard yelling and screaming like they did for quite some time … it was wonderful,” she said.
“One (owner) was crying, she was in tears, (Leo is the) first horse she has ever been in (and) she has got a small share in him.
“It was really, really good, a lot of first-time owners just had a great thrill and I believe that’s what our industry is all about – we have got to introduce new owners, get new people involved.”
Debbie said those owners might be “brought down to face reality” on Saturday night but she expected Leo to acquit himself well despite an awkward draw.
“He’s a beautiful horse, just like a sweet little pony club horse, a lovely little horse to do anything with,” she said.
“Gavin (Lang) drove him at the Melton trials the other week and he came in and said ‘he’s just a little professional’, which he is but, as far as racing goes, he’s still green.
“He’ll tell us if he is good enough to take his place in (the APG series), otherwise he might just poke around and go out for spell and then (we will) just float along with him.”
The Quinlans won’t have to pin all their Saturday night hopes on Leosabi, with ultra-consistent four-year-old mare Dream Playgirl set to line up in the Cogs Page Final for those classed C1 over 2240m.
“She is a beautifully bred horse (but) the draw is a bit awkward and she can be a bit tricky to drive. She’s a typical woman and can be a bit moody but Glen’s a great horseman, he’ll handle that. I’m sure he knows how to handle women,” she laughed.
“(Her owners) are wonderful, Tony and Pam (Coniglio), they have some lovely horses in the industry and they breed, and they are great supporters of our stables and other stables.”
Picture: Queen of Pop wins the $322,000 APG Final back in 2014 for the Quinlan camp.
