THREE-IN-A-ROW FOR IN A MINUTE RILEY

By Graham Potter | Saturday, July 29, 2023

While Nikau Spur was making merry at Eagle Farm on July 29, another Corey and Kylie Geran trained runner, In A Minute Riley, was helping the stable sign off on the 2022/23 season in style by completing a hat trick of wins in a BM58 Handicap over 1300m at her home base at Toowoomba.

The five-year-old daughter of Spill The Beans had finished out of first four on two occasions in her first ten starts … a set of results which included two runner-up finishes … at which time she was given a six month spell.

When In A Minute Riley resumed after that lengthy break, she quickly showed she was no longer a bridesmaid, shedding her Maiden ticket first-up at Gayndah over 1000m before making it two-in-a-row at Goodiwindi in a Class B Handicap over 1200m … and then keeping the fire going with this latest win in the opening race on the card at Toowoomba.

Landan Sykes, who had partnered In A Minute Riley in the first two wins of that sequence, gave way to Chris Whiteley for the Toowoomba contest, in which not even In A Minute Riley’s winning form and a number one barrier could persuade punters to stay with the Geran trained runner who went off at an $18 starting price.

Whiteley jumped In A Minute Riley well enough and held the rail position but, at the same time. he was happy to go back to fifth place in the early part, racing three lengths off the leader … and then gave away more ground, falling six lengths back, as the two main facies Monday Monday (4.40) and Parues ($3.20) cut at each other on a strong pace up front.

Whiteley saved ground all the way to the turn which brought In A Minute Riley to within a two length striking distance of the lead. A deft switch to two off the rail and a change of gears saw In A Minute Riley start to range into contention and, already halfway up the straight, it became clear that the mare was going to go past the two long-time leaders … but another threat had emerged to test In A Minute Riley to the full.

That threat came in the form of the $5 chance Milagro, who as In A Minute Riley had done, was now sweeping towards the front with meaning out wider on the track.

For a brief moment, Milagro appeared to head In A Minute Riley, but the Geran runner was still in full cry … and fully committed … and he kicked on, joining in a stride for stride battle with Milagro over the concluding stages and ultimately doing enough to clinch the win by 0.25 lengths.

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