Nervous An Weird Eyes Bulli Gold

VICTORIAN trainer Andrew Paraskevas says his star galloper Nervous An Weird will derive plenty of benefit from his first venture to Bulli when he tackles Saturday night’s Group 2 Cyril Rowe Gold Plate Final (472m).

Adam Dobbin23 February 2019

VICTORIAN trainer Andrew Paraskevas says his star galloper Nervous An Weird will derive plenty of benefit from his first venture to Bulli when he tackles Saturday night's Group 2 Cyril Rowe Gold Plate Final (472m).

"It was a bit of shoot first and ask questions later heading to this race but he handled it all very well and came through the run great," declared Paraskevas on Monday.

"I noticed the race was on about 3-4 weeks ago and thought that if he was going well it was something we could head towards as it would fit in well for where he's at in his preparation. I'd never been to Bulli before so it was a first for me and a first for him!"

Recording the fastest time of the three qualifiers on Saturday night in a slick 26.33, the Group 3 South Australian Derby winner was most impressive at his Bulli debut, defeating the Jason Magri-trained Catch Me Curly by a length in a spirited contest throughout.

The second heat went to Feral Franky for Jack Smith in 26.43, while the final qualifier was won by Major Riot for Anthony Azzopardi, defeating Black Forge by a half-head in 26.42.

"We drove up Saturday morning and gave ourselves plenty of time – the travelling does knock you around a bit but he'll be all the better for the experience," said Paraskevas.

"The plan is to keep things the same this week. While it's hard to say how much he'll improve with the look at the track and surroundings, I think you can safely say he won't go backwards, the run will do him plenty of good fitness wise as well."

A slashing 29.68 winner of the South Australian Derby at Angle Park last September, Nervous An Weird, a July ‘2016 son of Barcia Bale and outstanding producer Father Of Mine, spent the remainder of 2018 on the sidelines after having a floating chip removed from a hock.

"It was a real funny one because the dog was absolutely flying at the time," said Paraskevas of Nervous An Weird, winner at 16 of his 24 career appearances.

"He was pulling up a bit sore following his races and the vet went over him and found the chip floating in there. We had a few options but ultimately I couldn't sit back knowing it was there and not have it removed. Had we raced on with it we would have been treating the symptoms and not the problem. It was the right way to go and he's really starting to get back to full fitness now."

Winner of the Bendigo Gold Rush Maiden to kick off his career last April, before going on to claim victories at his first seven starts, Nervous An Weird is from a remarkable litter, the 11 pups so far responsible for 138 wins and $356,000 in prizemoney.

Their winning strike-rate is a mind-boggling 57%.

Overall Father Of Mine, a daughter of Brett Lee, has produced four litters (Collision, Knocka Norris, El Grand Senor and Barcia Bale), with the progeny winning a staggering 273 races, well on the way to $750,000 in prizemoney earnings.

"I try not to look at all that stuff to tell you the truth as it doesn't do you much good, we just like to take it week-by-week and not get that far ahead with things," added Paraskevas.

"She's been great to us – unfortunately we lost Father Of Mine to cancer after she had this Barcia Bale litter. It was very sad – she was nine from memory.

“We've got some litters coming through from some of her daughters so there's plenty to look forward to – there's a Banjo Boy litter that's 12 months now out of Short Blond Hair (Knocka Norris) which we are just starting to work with."

In a race brimful of talent, Nervous An Weird will exit box three for Saturday night's $40,000 to-the-winner Group 2 Cyril Rowe Gold Plate Final (472m), with bookmaker Bet365 installing the fastest qualifier a $3.60 joint equal favourite with dual record holder Pindari Express, third to Feral Franky in his heat as a $1.28 favourite.

"We tend to be pretty soft on our dogs and don't trial them all that much so he's been working his way back to fitness through his races, he'll take a lot out of Saturday as well I'd say," added Paraskevas.

"His wins at Mount Gambier and Horsham in the past few weeks were his first looks at those tracks so that gave me confidence that he could perform well at Bulli first up as well. Especially the Horsham win because it's known as not an easy track to win at first up – their cup is coming up after Bulli so we'll likely head towards that.

"I haven't studied the race Saturday night all that closely but a few people have told me he looks well boxed where he is. It's obviously a very strong race.

"It's usually more important what the dogs drawn around you do early, hopefully he gets a decent crack at it – that actually goes for everyone in the final.

"When you put the time and work in you at least want to get a decent run for your money, hopefully that's the case on Saturday."

Group 2 Cyril Rowe Gold Plate Box Draw: