FRANKSTON TIMES scoreboard
Clay shooter sets sights on world championships COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist, Laetisha Scanlan, is preparing for the mixed and women’s trap competitions at the ISSF World Championships in South Korea. The Frankston Australia Clay Target Club member is coming off the back of receiving a silver medal at the ‘Sydney Cup 2’ in the women’s trap competition on Sunday 19 August and has quickly followed it up with an intense training camp in preparation for the World Championships. Scanlan will be the sole representa-
Talented golfers: Rosebud Country Club golfers Gracie Larsen (left) and Molly McLean join the under-12s School Sport Victoria team. Picture: Supplied
Golfing girls get set for nationals ROSEBUD Country Club junior golfers Molly McLean and Gracie Larsen have braved the “horrible” conditions on Sunday 19 August to qualify for the National Championships in November. Molly (Rye Primary School) and Gracie (Balcombe Grammar) pushed through the rain, hail and wind to finish first and third, respectively, in the under-12s School Sport Victoria qualifiers at the Sandhurst Golf Club. For their exceptional performance the up-and-coming golfers will join the under-12s Victorian team which will compete at the National Championships on the Bellarine Peninsula from the 12-15 November, with Molly also captaining the four-girl team. It will be Molly’s second time competing with the Victorian side, while it will be Gracie’s first time playing in the state team after being first reserve last year. Gracie’s father, Tom Larsen, said making the Victorian side was a massive bonus for the girls but he was even more proud of their efforts to compete in the “unbelievable” conditions. “It was not an ideal scoring situation, but all of the kids did awesome to just be out there,” Tom said. “She still had her cheeky grin over her face for the day, and that’s just what you want, for them to enjoy themselves.” Molly’s father, Craig McLean,
tive from the clay target club competing at the World Championships on Friday 31 August, and has spent the past week at Cecil Park, Sydney preparing for the event alongside 21 other Australian squad members. Fellow Frankston Australia Clay Target Club shooters, James Bolding and Keith Ferguson, also competed at the Sydney Cup 2, and landed silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the men’s skeet event. Frankston Australia Clay Target Club secretary Jane Vella said that it’s
not out of the ordinary to see the three members competing, and succeeding at such a high level. “They’re three of our top competitors at the club and they’re always competing well in those types of events,” she said. Bolding and Ferguson will now prepare for the Australian National Championships in January next year which will kick off the selection process for next year’s international circuit. Ben Triandafillou
Top guns: Laetisha Scanlan and James Bolding after representing Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Gary Sissons
shared the same view. “[Molly] knew it was always going to be pretty tough, but it was just one of those days where you just try your best and hope to stay out of trouble,” he said. “She was laughing for the majority of it and was saying that it ‘couldn’t get much worse’.” The girls train and play together at the Rosebud Country Club but are also part of the Golf Peninsula Vic squad which train seven to eight times each year. Tom said that all of this practice and their passion to play golf has helped them improve out of sight. “Between this year and last year, they’ve come in about five or six shots on their handicap which is pretty great considering they’re still in the under-12s,” he said. “I know I’m a bit biased being her father, but she’s a very talented kid and I think they’ve got a really good chance at nationals. “[Gracie] has happily made it this year and can’t wait to play. It’ll definitely put a spring in her step.” Molly and Gracie will also be competing in the Victorian State Championships at Moonah Links on Monday 24 September to Thursday 27 September before heading to the nationals. “They’ll both play in that and it’ll be a good prep before they head to the nationals,” Craig said. Ben Triandafillou
Mornington Cup victor eyes off spring MORNINGTON Cup winner, Kings Will Dream, has come back in terrific fashion with a fast-finishing fourth in the Group Two P. B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday 18 August. The dominant five-length winner of the Mornington Cup in March this year, has already secured his place in the Group One Caulfield Cup (2400m), and continues to firm as the early favourite for the $5 million contest following his barnstorming finish on Saturday. The Darren Weir-trained galloper sat at the rear of the field in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes before rattling off the fastest closing sectionals of the race, running his last 400m in 22.83 seconds and his last 200m in 11.72 seconds.
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Prior to the meeting, Weir said he wasn’t sure how he would go with winners on the day but was using the day as a starting point for the spring. “I’m not sure how I’ll go in terms of winners, but it’s more of a kick-off day for my runners for races down the track,” he said. “I’m looking for encouraging signs for the future.” While it was the imported galloper’s first defeat in six Australian starts, Weir said his run was exactly what he wanted to see. “He ran home well. I thought he was good, and that’s what I was hoping for,” he said. Kings Will Dream’s jockey John Allen was just as impressed with the performance. “He probably couldn’t have gone much better and if I had something
Frankston Times 27 August 2018
to give me a cart into the race he probably goes close (to winning) but given that, he probably just knocked up the last 100m.” Having already secured his spot in the Caulfield Cup by gaining exemption from the ballot for his Mornington Cup victory, Kings Will Dream will stick to weight-for-age races in the build up to the Group One, to try and avoid gaining weight penalties. It’s estimated that Kings Will Dream will be handicapped at just 51kg for the Caulfield Cup, and will follow a path that includes the Memsie Stakes (1400m), Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), and the Underwood (1800m) or the Turnbull Stakes (2000m), before heading fifth-up into the Caulfield Cup. Ben Triandafillou
Cup dreaming: Mornington Cup winner Kings Will Dream prepares for the Group One Caulfield Cup. Picture: Supplied