Trots Centre: Jodi hopes 'Dust settles on Crown glory

Jodi Quinlan’s path to a second career TAB Breeders Crown will play out at Maryborough tomorrow and Melton on Saturday, when the trainer-driver hopes good fortune will match the talent at her disposal.

Not since she steered Ladyinred to the 2005 three-year-old fillies pacing title for Bill Galea has Quinlan enjoyed ultimate Breeders Crown success and this year she’s hopeful of registering not only a second drivers’ win but a first training triumph.

“It would be great to drive another winner, but it would be even better if I could train and drive my first one,” she told Trots Talk.

It’s the trotting brigade that gives her a chance to do just that and their path to the November 21 Group 1 finals begins with tomorrow's heats at Maryborough.

Quinlan’s trio Illawong Moonbeam (2YO filly), Illawong Stardust (3YO filly) and Illawong Barmah (2YO colts and geldings) will all chase qualification and their trainer-driver said she was “happy with all three of them”.

“Illawong Barmah and Illawong Stardust standout from Moonbeam,” she said.

“Probably the safest of the three of them would be Illawong Barmah, his manners are generally reliable. I thought his run in the Redwood was great, he’ll have a nice sit, so he’s probably my best chance as far as manners and qualifying go.

“Illawong Stardust, she’s got untapped ability, but she is unreliable. She’s mucked up the start on previous occasions, and then last start she went away too good, got keen and cut her wind off and stopped turning for home. If the right Stardust turns up she’s as good as any of them, but she’s one you’ve got to take on trust.”

A top six finish tomorrow would suffice for both Illawong Barmah and Illawong Stardust, with both the Catanach’s Jewellers 3YO fillies and the Skyvalley @ Aldebaran Park 2YO colts and geldings divisions having only two heats.

But the task of being in the select 12 who’ll contest Group 1 finals on November 21 is hardest for Illawong Moonbeam. She has to finish in the first four owing to the Aldebaran Eagle @ Aldebaran Park 2YO fillies division having three heats.

A top four finish is also required for those contesting the Catanach’s Jewellers 3YO colts and geldings’ division, where Quinlan will steer unbeaten Cover Of Darkness from gate two for trainer Emma Stewart.

“He’s also from the Lunar Landing family and he’s in fact a brother too Illawong Moonbeam and the mother was Illawong Moonshine, she was actually the monte horse of the year,” Quinlan said. “She was crazy and Moonbeam’s not far off her, Cover Of Darkness is not quite as bad, but he’s certainly got his lurks and quirks about him.

“He’s a lovely horse, strong and he can sprint, he’s got the good draw but he’s still very green with everything he does, he hasn’t really got the hang of it yet.

“What he’s doing at the moment he’s doing on raw ability. He’s come into this race with a nice draw, I was very happy with his run the other night, he has always found the line in all his wins very strongly.”

With that in mind Quinlan has good reason for optimism, but she’s been let down by misbehaving trotters too many times in the past to get ahead of herself.

“I get back to Stardust’s brother Illawong Armstrong, he cured me from disappointment with the trotters because he went into every big race and used to make mistakes here and there,” she said.

“He certainly taught me some good grounding. When you go into these races with the trotters you don’t know if they are going to trot or not going to trot. That’s just part and parcel of it, they are still only babies.

“They certainly hold you in good stead as far as being patient along the way, I can guarantee you that.”

A good day and the reinswoman will be able to advance into Saturday’s pacing semi-finals with confidence, when she will steer four Emma Stewart runners, namely Act Now, Firerockfireroll, Amelia Rose and Platinum Sparkle.

“All four of those are certainly live chances of qualifying and it's not beyond them to win a semi if they get the right run. A couple of them will need a bit of luck.”

She believes the best placed is Act Now, who will launch from gate three in the VHRC Caduceus 2YO colts and geldings' semi-final.

“It didn’t suit him the way I drove him last start. He gets back to a front line draw this time, I’m sure he will be hard to beat, he’s a very nice horse.”

While Act Now will contest race eight, Quinlan's night will begin in race two, the Captain Crunch 2YO fillies, with Platinum Sparkle, who she said “was super last run”.

“Pulled very hard and overraced, still had the audacity to go to the outside and just miss. She’s got a back row draw, the first time she’s drawn the back row. We will want her to settle good. If she runs up to her heat run she will be very forward.”

Firerockfireroll was second in his IRT Australia 3YO colts and geldings heat when he “went well, ran on nicely”, and will be looking to qualify from gate five in race five on Saturday night.

While Amelia Rose “was fantastic” in finishing second to Maajida in her Pryde’s EasiFeed 3YO fillies heat and will start from gate six on Saturday.

“Her run last week was super, she’s not a death seat horse and sat outside another of Emma’s and stuck on real brave,” Quinlan said.

TALKING TROTS ON SENTRACK:

Listen weekdays to Talking Trots on Track from 11am to 1pm on SENTrack, which airs on 1593AM in Melbourne, 1539AM in Sydney, 657AM in Perth, 801AM in Gosford, 96.9FM in Ingham, 99.1FM in Atherton and 1575AM in Wollongong.

Click here to listen live and for links to download the SEN app.