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Allendorf still after winners

Robin Parke

CHAMPION jockey Geoff Allendorf, with another title safely wrapped up, is still hungry for winners as he comes to the end of a seven-year stint in the Far East.

Allendorf has not applied for a licence for next season at Taipa, sticking by a decision to return to Sydney for family reasons.

''There was no real way I was going to change my mind. I have been on my own up here for two seasons and my family is growing up without me. I have enjoyed the stint and it has all been worthwhile - but there comes a time when you have to go home,'' he said.

But the Allendorf win machine will keep on rolling until the curtain falls on June 30 and he augmented his excellent tally to date with another double yesterday.

The Queenslander kicked off the 10-event meeting with a win on Real Best (5-2 favourite) for Claude Charlet and was back in the winner's circle three races later when trainer Darby Armstrong saddled up the first leg of a back-to-back double with Mighty Shower (10-1).

Raced by Sydney-based owner Joe Leto, Mighty Shower easily turned the tables on Ding Dong, who beat him home last time.

''He liked the ground and had come on a lot from his last run. He really is at home in soft ground and it didn't matter in these conditions being drawn out wide,'' said Allendorf.

Ding Dong was unplaced in the Class Four, 1,400-metre race but trainer Keith Stone had previously landed a neat touch with Tak Tai Fortune (9-5 favourite) in the Class Four third event.

Tak Tai Fortune was a handy winner for Irish rider Mark Gallagher who is appealing against a decision not to licence him next season.

Said Stone: ''He was a pretty useful two-year-old and was favourite for the Windsor Castle Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting. He has taken time to get right but I was pretty confident he would do the business today.'' Tak Tai Fortune won by a handy length and a half from outsider Mediway (24-1).

Crack New Zealand rider Peter Johnson continues to make his presence felt at Taipa and rode a back-to-back double in the fifth and sixth events with Good Luck, for Armstrong, and Longbest for Kenny Man who has been having a lean spell recently.

Veteran Kiwi rider Alwyn Tweedie had an armchair ride on Quality General (7-2) for compatriot Joe Barnes. It was an all-Kiwi affair and Quality General should progress satisfactorily from this outing which he won by seven lengths.

He ran them off their feet with favourite Yau Tai Fortune finishing a well-beaten third in the Class Five, 1,000-metre dash.

''It's been an in-and-out season for me and a few of them are coughing now so it's certainly helpful to get a good winner like this one. He obviously liked the ground but he had been going quite well in trackwork and we were confident he would give an account of himself,'' said Barnes.

And visiting rider John Grisedale had an even easier time of it in the ninth event when topweight Captain Dee (7-2) bolted in by 12 lengths in a Class Four, 1,400-metre event.

There was absolutely no joy for favourite supporters in the race with 2-1 public elect True Stories beating only one home in the 14-runner event.

Irish trainer Johnny Roe, also denied a licence next season and appealing the decision, took the nightcap on mud-loving Hung Fai (20-1) to continue his good recent run.

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