White Robe Lodge dominate Melbourne Cup day meeting

White Robe Lodge dominated proceedings at the Otago Racing Club meeting at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup day, 2018, November 6. The 17yr-old stable apprentice Corey Campbell rode four winners on the nine race card including the featured $35,000 Speight's Open (1400m) won in brilliant fashion by Gallant Boy, trained out of WRL by Brian and Shane Anderton for the estate of Christchurch breeder Pat Smith. Gallant Boy, who had not raced for six months dropped out to last, then sustained a big run outside his seven rivals under 57kg to win by a length and a half. The Gallant Guru - Mega Babe gelding, a brother to group one Metropolitan Handicap winner Patrick Erin, has now won nine races and $213,510. The WRL stable won maiden races with Markwood and Tony Two Chips, both sons of resident sire Raise The Flag. The pair were ridden by Campbell who also won a rating 82 1200m on Nightcap to provide Robert Dennis with his first training win in a solo capacity. Robert previously had two seasons training with his father Tony and uncles, Martin, Joe and Ray.

Markwood is owned by Markwood Lodge Ltd, who have Zabay  in the WRL stable. Zabay (two wins) finished a good fourth fresh up on Melbourne Cup day. Markwood was bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton and changed hands for $9000 at the 2013 South Island sale. Markwood (ex Pernote) is a brother to Civil Disobedience, winner of the Tasmanian Derby at Hobart in February from the Darren Weir stable. Pernote(by Personal Escort) has also left the winners Accreditation (Australia) and Ollie's Note. Tony Two Chips is raced by his Middlemarch breeders Tony Markham and Steve Heffernan. He is out of Sumtime, a Flying Pegasus mare who won three races. Tony Two Chips is seven like Markwood, but he has only raced nine times, being given time to develop.

Raise The Flag sired the first three home  in the maiden race won by Iowa Jima, a 4yr-old  trained by Centaine Spittles for Allison Tilson and Steve Lovett. Iowa Jima was a $2000 purchase at the South Island sale. The WRL pair Raise You Five and Raise Ya Card (first starter) chased Iowa Jima home.