New Zealand in doubt for Tingle Marc

Trainer Liam Birchley will monitor the New Zealand racing news before committing impressive debut winner Tingle Marc to a trip across the Tasman.

Tingle Marc ($3.30) led all the way to score an easy win in Wednesday’s Gallopers Sports Club Hcp (1110m) at Doomben.

Birchley had pencilled in the Karaka Three-Year-Old Classic at Ellerslie on January 29 for Tingle Marc, until he heard Group One winner Sacred Elixir could be a starter.

“I have found out the Victoria Derby runner-up Scared Elixir could be set for the same race. Apparently, he could use the Classic as the first step towards some big races in Australia,” Birchley said.

“We saw him here in the winter so we won’t be taking him on. I will have to keep an eye on what is happening over there for any news.

“Tingle Marc got away with blue murder in front today so if he didn’t win that, it would not be much use worrying at all.”

Sacred Elixir won the J J Atkins during the Brisbane winter carnival and wsa the favourite for the Victoria Derby when second to Prized Icon.

Birchley knows about winning big races in New Zealand having taken the Karaka Million Two-Year-Old Classic with Sister Havana and Hardline and finishing second with Sarge In Charge.

Deagon trainer Darren Bell and owner-breeder Mick Dilleen continued their run of success with offspring of the sire Natural Destiny when Misery won the Class 2 (1110m) at the Doomben meeting.

“Mick is a Rockhampton dentist and he has had plenty of success breeding horses by Natural Destiny including the handy Spear of Destiny,” Bell said.

“But Misery might be the best as that is three wins from five starts with more to come.”

Natural Destiny was the first, and so far only horse to win the Doomben summer triple crown – George Moore Stakes, Lough Neagh Stakes and Bernborough Stakes in the one season – in 2006.