Mackay trainer-jockey Trinity Bannon has built one of the best strike rates in the land and is gearing up for another winning day on today’s bumper nine-race card at Cluden Park.
Bannon will tackle the meeting with four runners, led by the ultra-impressive I Did It Again, Overseas and All Star Rocket – all previous Cluden winners.
“They’ll all be definitely in the mix. I’d be very disappointed if they weren’t,” Bannon said.
Bannon, who describes herself as a full-time trainer and part-time jockey, has dominated northern racing this season with 22 winners from 58 starters, at an amazing strike rate of 38%.
She’s on track for a career-best season as a trainer and is enjoying a big year in the saddle too with 15 winners from 66 rides.
“We’re having a very good run with good horses but it’s taken four years to get to where we are,” Bannon said.
“When I started out we were buying $2000 horses that didn’t have much form.
“China Town was my first decent horse and we’ve slowly built up with better horses every since.”
Bannon has a big opinion of I Did It Again and Overseas and regards both as potential carnival horses.
I Did It Again has won six of his eight starts for the stable, including two impressive wins at Cluden.
Bannon is hopeful the former Victorian sprinter will shape up as a possible contender for the Mackay Newmarket and Cleveland Bay Handicap later in the year.
“I’d like to stretch him out in distance to see if he can take the next step into a race like the Newmarket. There’s always an option of finding a suitable race in the city,” Bannon said.
“I think Overseas will be a very nice horse as well with a bit more age. He’s just a bit immature right now.
“He’s bred to get over more ground, but he’s sprinting well at the moment and ‘if it’s not broke don’t fix it’.”
Bannon will ride I Did It Again and All Star Rocket and because of weight limitations will ride lesser-fancied stablemate Djebel Ready against Overseas in the same race.
After almost 12 months back race riding after a lengthy lay-off Bannon said she was enjoying being in the cut and thrust of the jockeys' room.
“I describe myself as a full-time trainer and part-time jockey. I started riding again because Melbourne Cup Day the year before last I couldn’t get a rider,” Bannon said.
“As long as they’re ridden well I’m happy to put anyone on. Adam Sewell, Justin Stanley and Chris Whitely have ridden quite a bit for me and I’ve been lucky we’ve had so many winners.
“And John Manzelmann has been very supportive of me in the bush.”
Racing kicks off at Cluden today with the first race at 12.37pm and the last of nine races at 5.50pm.