Derby Delight For Forbes At Capalaba

NSW visitor, Tony Forbes admits to having a “very good day” out at Capalaba on Sunday.

That's because his highly promising young dog Weffalee Shield (Sennachie-Tweety) landed the Capalaba Derby (366m) in 19.71. He downed Bartel Hayze and Coonamble Kid.

It was his eighth win in just 18 starts and took his stakes to $22,000.

“I've never won a Derby so it was great to do that,” said Tony who drove from his 127-acre property at Quorrobolong south of Cessnock.

“He had his first look at the track in the heats and was looking around to see where he was,” said Tony. “But in the final, he drew the right side and there was a bit of a shuffle up among the others.”

Tony has plans for his promising youngster that include a graded series at Wentworth Park and also the Wauchope Cup at Christmas time.

“He's a very promising young dog but I want to keep him in lower grades for a while until he develops,” said Tony.

He bought the dog as a pup from breeder Sharon Grey near Taree.

“The mother Tweety won from 300 yards to 800 yards and was a very, very good bitch,” he said. “I bought him from Sharon for $5000 at three months and Sharon did a fabulous job rearing him for me.

“The mother has just whelped a litter by Aussie Infrared and I have ordered one of those as well.

“Of the eight in this Sennachie litter, six have already won and they are only babies.

“I've educated half a dozen Sennachie's recently and all of them are great chasers.”

Tony has been educating a small number of dogs for select clients for the past 20 years.

“I've got six in training of my own,” he said. “I have my own straight and bull ring and finish off the pups I'm educating at The Gardens and Maitland.”

Futurity winner Barty Hayze and her litter brother, Derby runner-up Bartel Hayze, will switch back to circle racing and could eye some feature events in the coming Summer Carnival at Albion Park.

Barty Hayze, starting the $1.90 favourite, lived up to that ranking with a slick Futurity win for trainer Sandra Hunt and owners Nathan and Tracey Trigg.

She downed Showpiece and Book Of Love.

It was her 15th win in 28 starts and brought her stakes to $36,000.

Her Aston Dee Bee-Merlot Hayze litter brother, Bartel Hayze, was beaten a half length by Weffallee Shield in the Derby.

Nathan Trigg was overjoyed at the victory of Barty Hayze in the Futurity.

“Hasn't Sandra done a great job with this litter,” said Nathan.

“We have not confirmed it yet, but more than likely they will go back to Albion Park now.

“Barty lacks a bit of strength but she handles the 395 metres there pretty well.

“Maybe, and that is stressing maybe, she could look to a feature race over the shorts during the Summer Carnival.

“She is a really consistent bitch.”

The Triggs, from the Bundaberg area, have up to 30 dogs on their property including a young litter by Fernando Bale from Merlot Hayze.

“We've also got an Orson Allen litter to go to the breakers in February from the same damline,” said Nathan.

“Tracey and I are really loving the success we are having at the moment, but as everyone in this industry knows it is a lot of hard work to get to that success.”