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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Ron Quinton is all about rewarding the hard work of his apprentices so he’s more than happy to give Madeline Owen the chance to partner talented filly Rantan first-up at Gosford on Saturday.

Trainer Ron Quinton. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The 23-year-old apprentice has been under Quinton’s guidance since going on loan in July, and transferred to him in October, and she’s been instrumental behind the scenes with Rantan.

The filly will resume in the $200,000 Triple M Thunder Thousand (1000m) with just 51kg after Owen’s claim.

“She’s a hard worker and I said to Ray (Gall, owner) I’d like to put her on,” Quinton said.

“She rode her in the trial and helps with all the trackwork so I’d like to give her the opportunity.

“She’s won a few races for me, she won one at Wyong for me the other day on one I own myself. She’s very reliable and you try to reward them in some fashion.”

Quinton, of course, has long held the reputation as a master of schooling apprentices with the likes of Hugh Bowman, Sam Clipperton and Andrew Adkins among his students.

Rantan, $5.00 with TAB on Wednesday, has won three of her nine starts and as Quinton referenced she’s trialled to his liking.

With Owen on board in the latest of those she ran third behind Group class sprinter Jedibeel, who was then narrowly beaten in the Group 2 Victory Stakes, in a 740m heat at Randwick on April 24.

“She’s had a couple of trials and she’s trialled quite nicely, as she always does. So she’s in good order,’’ Quinton said.

“You can never stop her from trialling well. She’ll run a creditable race whatever she does.”

Quinton said it’s probably not the most ideal for Rantan to be handed an inside barrier given her racing style.

To be fair he said he had high expectations for Rantan in the early days but circumstances have conspired to keep her in benchmark grade.

However, he’s confident she has the ability to add to her tally of wins if things go the right way.

“She’s not one that can really use a draw because she needs to settle and relax,’’ he said.

"She’s got to get back in the field a bit because she doesn’t finish off if she races too close.

“She’s done quite well, she gallops like a good horse, but she probably hasn’t reached the level I thought she might.

“There's always been a couple of underlying issues and that holds them back a touch. But she’s a racehorse, she’ll put in a good run.”

Meanwhile, Quinton is preparing to give stablemate Watch My Girl another chance at black type in next week’s Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone.

The four-year-old is likely headed to stud in the spring but Quinton said not much would have to go right for her in a race like that to be a chance of snaring that stakes win or placing.

She was beaten two lengths in the Group 2 Millie Fox (1300m) in February and has been freshened since her last start fifth, beaten 1-1/4 lengths, by Les Vampires in mid-March.

“She’s won five races but she’s just short of Group company,’’ he said.

Rantan runs third in a Randwick trial on April 24

“With her benchmark rating it’s hard to find an easy race for her so she’ll go to Scone. She ran in the Millie Fox first-up and ran creditably and was beaten a couple of lengths.

“She had a week’s break and she trialled quite nicely the other day.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Gosford meeting