Race 1 - 12:33pm Amelia Park Beef Plate (1000 Metres)
THE WINNER
Cognac made it three in a row after sitting outside of hot favourite Mizlecki on the speed and drawing clear at the 200m mark. He held off the late comers impressively to take his record to five starts for three wins.
THE GOOD
First starter Captain Stirling ran on brilliantly to claim second and was beaten by a neck. He had a good blow after the race so there should be plenty of improvement to come.
THE BAD
Favourite Mizlecki was gone at the 200m mark after jumping beautifully to lead. She’s either not as good as we first thought or doesn’t handle the soft going. Melros Beach was cantankerous in the barriers and was subsequently scratched.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Ask Lisa – 35.18
Race 2 - 1:13pm Sign On Handicap (1000 Metres)
THE WINNER
Despite drifting in betting, High Conviction was devastating in ordinary conditions. Jockey William Pike dragged the daughter of Snitzel back to last before pushing the button in the straight. The Simon Miller-trained filly’s last 100m was exceptional on a trying surface. The next star of WA racing?
THE GOOD
Top Of The Class got further back than expected but hit the line well for second. She was no match for the winner though.
THE BAD
Belter looked to be travelling at the turn but faded with 200m to go. He didn’t handle the track. Money came for My Laina on the West Australian Official Pricing system but she gave in pretty quickly along the inside rail.
FASTEST LAST 600M
High Conviction – 35.13
Race 3 - 1:53pm David Grays Aglink Handicap (1300 Metres)
THE WINNER
Galaxy Star was simply too good and lived up to the hot trial form in front of the winner of the previous race High Conviction as well as her own hefty expectations. Pike settled the daughter of Redoute’s Choice in the second half of the field before unleashing the mare in the straight.
THE GOOD
Royal Missile ran on well into second after settling in the run with Galaxy Star. The Simon Miller-trained filly looked as though she may challenge Galaxy Star in the straight but just couldn’t go with the eventual winner. She will be hard to beat in whatever she lines up in next start.
THE BAD
Last start winner Lockroy was beaten 10 lengths and simply didn’t handle the conditions. Forgive.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Galaxy Star – 36.47
Race 4 - 2:28pm Old Mate's Sports Bar & Eatery Handicap (1400 Metres)
THE WINNER
Classical Prince registered his first win since 5 March 2016. The gelding pulled up with issues after the following preparation and was moved to Capel trainer Neville Parker. Parker has nursed the son of Stravinsky back to full health and was given a perfect ride by Shaun O’Donnel. A well-deserved win for the young trainer.
THE GOOD
Granlarado was excellent first up and came from the tail of the field to run an eye-catching fourth. He is in for an excellent staying preparation and he seems to appreciate the sting out of the track. War God and Profit Street were both good to the line for second and third respectively.
THE BAD
Black Dynamite was beaten by another big space and isn’t going as well as previous form reads.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Granlarado – 37.05
Race 5 - 3:04pm Events At Ascot Handicap (1600 Metres)
THE WINNER
Nelson’s Flight was backed into $2.60 favouritism on the TABtouch tote and duly saluted under William Pike after settling on the pace. He led all of the way which made the victory all the more impressive.
THE GOOD
Gomer Wipple attacked the line notably once again when running on into second after settling in the back half of the field. He has a turn of speed which will see him go through his grades quickly for connections. The son of Lookin’ At Lucky seems to handle soft conditions too which is a good sign moving forward this winter.
THE BAD
Cruachan was probably the disappointment of the race as he failed to make up ground following an excellent WA debut win at Pinjarra. He settled just off the speed but couldn’t run on in the testing soft 7 conditions.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Gomer Wipple – 38.15
Race 6 - 3:40pm Crown Towers Handicap (1600 Metres)
THE WINNER
$51 chance and noted soft-tracker Election surprised few when coming from well back in the field to cut the corner along the rail and win. The son of Niello seems to relish soft conditions, registering his fifth career win and fourth in rain-affected going.
THE GOOD
Indi Pacific came from last at the turn and followed Election everywhere he went. In doing so, she saved even more ground than the eventual winner, along the rail, and steamed home into second position. Fire Detonator made a wide run around the field and also hit the line nicely for fifth.
THE BAD
Punters who didn’t have Election in the quaddie.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Election & Indi Pacific – 37.26
Race 7 - 4:15pm Strickland Stakes (2000 Metres)
THE WINNER
Scales Of Justice did not win as you’d like to see a $1.24 chance but, nevertheless, he managed to hold off noted wet-tracker Zarantz in a photo finish. The Group One-winning son of Not A Single Doubt led all of the way and seemed to handle the testing 2000m trip.
THE GOOD
Zarantz was brilliant in second again and was given an outstanding ride by now senior rider Aaron Mitchell, who took off rounding the turn to put Zarantz in the race. To go down by only a half-head to Scales Of Justice speaks volumes for the courageous son of Choisir.
THE BAD
Many of those which finished down the track simply didn’t handle the soft going in a stoutly run 2000m weight-for-age race.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Zarantz – 38.03
Race 8 - 4:50pm Get The Tabtouch Handicap (1200 Metres)
THE WINNER
Clint Johnston-Porter and Show Honey followed race favourite Bold Success and William Pike everywhere they went in the run and managed to just nab the race favourite in the shadows of the post.
THE GOOD
Atlanta Blue returned to the track and put in an excellent performance to run third in testing conditions. There will be a win for him this preparation. Bells Tower stuck on gamely to hold on to fifth, beaten only 1.75 lengths, after leading.
THE BAD
Back to the drawing board with Humanity. Another disappointing performance suggests that he could be moved on from Lindsey Smith’s stable if he is found to be physically sound by vets.
FASTEST LAST 600M
Show Honey – 35.91
PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY
William Pike rode a treble on the day, getting High Conviciton, Galaxy Star and Nelson’s Flight home for favourite punters. In booting home Nelson’s Flight, Pike brought up his 100th metropolitan winner for season 2016/17. Well done, ‘Wiz’.
RIDE OF THE DAY
Clint Johnston-Porter cut the corner and went through the big gap left along the rail in race six, the Crown Towers Handicap (1600m), to get $51 chance Election across the line for Ascot trainer Jason Tulloch. Young Johnston-Porter is riding with loads of confidence and has come a long way in only a short period of time.
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