Race 1 - 12:06pm Get The Tabtouch Maiden (1000 Metres)
THE WINNER
First starter and $85,000 purchase West Fifty Fourth won nicely on debut. A quiet ride from Peter Knuckey saw the well-bred son of O’Reilly arrive just in time over the top of Miss Swindle.
THE GOOD
Miss Swindle led and kicked gamely to the line after leading but failed to hold off the Kiwi-bred West Fifty Fourth. The Anaesthetist sat outside of the leader and battled on stoutly for third. The majority of the gallopers in the race should at least win maidens.
THE BAD
Shuga Bel was kept three-wide by The Anaesthetist and faded badly in the straight.
FASTEST LAST 600M
West Fifty Fourth – 34.34
Race 2 - 12:40pm Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1200 Metres)
THE WINNER
The outstandingly bred Ocean Jewel justified her betting and purchase prices with a nice debut win. After jumping well, she travelled sweetly three back on the fence before finding runs along the inside under Joseph Azzopardi. The daughter of Cox Plate winner Ocean Park won as punters would have liked to have seen but there looked to be vast improvement to come.
THE GOOD
The race experience counted in favour of Upward Others as the Hec McLaren-trained gelding led on settling down before hanging on in the straight to run third at $61. Masquerade for Peters Investments found the line well for fourth after settling in second last position. The three-quarter brother to Battle Hero should be winning plenty of races.
THE BAD
Disco Jo worked to get outside of the leader and folded up in the straight. He was a $21 shot though so forgive in weaker grade.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Masquerade – 34.47
Race 3 - 1:17pm J.J. Richards & Sons Handicap (1200 Metres)
THE WINNER
Despite racing keenly in the run, Pearl Trade was superior to the line. The daughter of Trade Fair will only get better with maturity and extra distance. She settled well back and hit the line strongly under Patrick Carbery.
THE GOOD
Al Capitano settled behind leader Time On My Side and gave a strong kick in the straight to run second. American Joy has a stout staying pedigree and worked to the line nicely to finish in a midfield position. Dazzling Poet was caught three-wide and off the track but managed to battle home fifth.
THE BAD
Golden Trigger was backed from $16 into $5 and didn’t enjoy the smoothest of runs in transit after getting buffeted in between Lucky Escape and Dazzling Poet when rounding the turn. He tailed off and finished third last.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Pearl Trade – 34.59
Race 4 - 1:51pm Country Interstate International Membership Hcp (1000 Metres)
THE WINNER
Zeinite managed to win by a length in wayward fashion after leading one off the fence throughout. Some punters may think that he was lucky to win after slightly shifting out in the concluding stages, causing Sovereign Hall to check and lose momentum, but, nevertheless, the daughter of Due Sasso prevailed.
THE GOOD
Supposition was good first up (as usual) for second. Double Edged fought on after leading with Zeinite and held on to third.
THE BAD
Sovereign Hall flew home from the tail of the field after being asked to keep up by jockey Alan Kennedy for the first 500m of the race. Kennedy picked off runs in the straight but found trouble late when running up Zeinite’s backside after the eventual winner slightly shifted out late. The Ted Martinovich-trained gelding couldn’t even manage a top three finish and was forced to settle for fourth.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Sovereign Hall – 33.80
Race 5 - 2:34pm Corporate Membership Handicap (1000 Metres)
THE WINNER
Chin Strap box-seated behind leader I Am Incredible and jockey Peter Knuckey used the cutaway to full advantage by getting up on the inside of the leader and streaking away to win by nearly a length. Now that he has won his maiden, he should be able to go on with it.
THE GOOD
I Am Incredible led after racing fiercely in the early stages of the event but still managed to hold on to second in the finish. Once he learns to relax in running, he could string a few wins together.
THE BAD
Halldora jumped well but drifted back to settle in seventh position before running on moderately late. Favourite backers were never really in the hunt after drifting back in running.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Nitrobel – 33.99
Race 6 - 3:10pm Young Membership Handicap (1400 Metres)
THE WINNER
It was Leitfaden’s last chance to prove her worth and she did just that with a barnstorming win from last. The daughter of Choisir still wanted to do plenty wrong in the run but knuckled down in the straight to win impressively.
THE GOOD
Pinsson battled on gamely for second after sitting outside of the leader for much of the race. Considering the leader, All Too Much, faded to finish fourth, the run was full of merit.
THE BAD
Four Letter Werd was backed into $3.50 favouritism and tracked into the race sweetly but had to steady off heels around the turn and did not let down as expected in the straight. Maybe the son of High Chaparral is looking for further?
FASTEST LAST 600M
Leitfaden – 34.47
Race 7 - 3:45pm Club Membership Handicap (2100 Metres)
THE WINNER
The fast-finishing Danehills Daughter denied Halushi once again to record her second career win after a good run-on third at Kalgoorlie. Peter Knuckey settled the mare midfield before cutting the ribbons in the straight to go after Halushi. She got there comfortably in the finish to win by just over a length.
THE GOOD
Halushi was game again for second after enjoying the run of the race behind the leader. He just got there too soon and was grabbed late by Danehills Daughter. Rock Giselle flew home from back in the field to run a nice third at her West Australian debut. Fly Away Peter also ran on well into fourth.
THE BAD
Impresszar was found in betting, at big odds, and was backed from $26 into $10. He had no luck after being trapped wide and faded in the straight to finish 13th and beaten 14 lengths.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Danehills Daughter – 36.70
Race 8 - 4:15pm Gold Membership Handicap (2100 Metres)
THE WINNER
Despite sitting three-wide without cover for the majority of the race, Jackpot Prince proved to be the superior three-year-old stayer when rounding up his rivals. Clint Johnston-Porter didn’t panic in the run and let the gelding settle under his own steam. The son of Casino Prince was shoved about six horses off the fence on turning but still had the staying prowess to hold off the chasers.
THE GOOD
Dusty Storm backed up his last start win at Northam with a credible performance and finished in the placings. Perfect Dream was excellent for her first time out beyond 2000m. And Persian Princess appreciated the drop in class and step up in distance when running on into fourth.
THE BAD
Thunder Boom was prominent in running once again after settling on the leaders back but dropped out very quickly in the straight to be beaten by five lengths. Her campaign may be drawing to a close.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Joyous Affair – 35.77
Race 9 - 4:45pm Vili's Handicap (1300 Metres)
THE WINNER
The nine-race program finished superbly well for punters with favourite Detango getting the money just over the Neville Parnham-trained Checkers. Dan Staeck settled the filly beautifully on the fence, three back, behind Checkers and had the drop on the eventual runner-up the whole way around. Watch for Detango in better Saturday races.
THE GOOD
Venus Ebony ran up to her good looks in the yard when finishing off strongly to run sixth after settling last. Quality Fair and Anvil Green were the other two eye-catchers which aren’t far away from respective wins.
THE BAD
Cougar Nights was caught three-wide and had no luck in transit before finishing second last. He’ll improve off that run though.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Anvil Green – 34.82
PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY
Peter Knuckey rode a treble and looks to be in fine form. All three gallopers he rode to victory, West Fifty Fourth, Chin Strap and Danehills Daughter, are worth sticking with.
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