By Andrew O’Toole

BAT PAD, out of the winner’s circle for just on 12 months, bounced back to her best in fine style when scoring in the Sportsbet Handicap, feature event at Fannie Bay yesterday.

The 6yo daughter of Brazen Beau, nowadays in the stable of Chris Pollard after earlier being trained by Mark Nyhan – who still shares in the ownership – last saluted the judge on 19 March 2023 in Alice Springs.

She had run some decent races since, but just lately her form had tapered off – until Friday!

With regular rider Sonja Logan, who now has six wins aboard the mare, in the saddle, Bat Pad sat back in the field as the favourite Forms Of Fear and 1100m track record holder Patriotic King went hammer and tongs down the back straight.

The pair turned for home still clear but it was obvious soon after that the dogfight had sapped their strength, and soon after Pocket Pistol, Soul Spirit and Bat Pad loomed large and left the other pair in their wake.

Over the final 100m, Bat Pad raced clear to win by just over two lengths from Pocket Pistol, with Soul Spirit a long neck back third. The early pacemakers dropped out to finish at the rear.

Bat Pad, who has a few tricks including lying down in the tie-up stalls, has now won seven of her 35 starts for her owners, and with three seconds and four thirds, her stake earnings are now an impressive $136,000.

Proklisi, aided by a patient Wayne Davis ride, gained an overdue maiden win in the ROANT Maiden and 3YO Class 2 Plate (1200m).

Davis allowed his mount to settle towards the rear of the eight-horse field as newcomer Nassau County and Flying Barty led the way. Allowed to improve approaching the home turn, it was clear Proklisi had something to offer as Davis negotiated a passage between runners soon after straightening.

The daughter of Scissor Kick knuckled down to her task and over the concluding stages, was too strong for Meant For Mars, who fought on well, scoring by a length and a-quarter, with Nassau County third.

Trained by Phil Cole, Proklisi was having her fifth Top End start and after three thirds and a fourth, a win was no more than her due.

Zourisky, with Aaron Sweeney in the saddle, was an impressive winner of the day’s opener, the Sky Racing Handicap (1300m).

Trained by Gary Clarke, Zourisky had promised a forward showing when a solid third to The Stifmeister (a winner again since) on 1 March and so it proved, the daughter of Zoustar doing her best work late after settling off the speed to down Merseyside by two lengths, with Ankle Rolex finishing on into third ahead of the disappointing Barragunda.

Zourisky has now won four times from her 20 career starts, and Friday’s was her third success over the 1300m distance. Her stakes now stand at almost $82,000.

And Global Wonder completed a first and last-race double for the 11-time champion trainer when slogging through atrocious conditions to win the Anzac Day Races 25 April Handicap (1600m).

Ridden by Jarrod Todd, Global Wonder began well but then drifted off a hot speed to be giving the leader New Enterprise a big start with 400m to run. But the 6yo son of Hinchinbrook just kept coming and coming and got up close home to score by a half-length from a game New Enterprise, with Bart’s Bullet two lengths back third.

After the first three races had been run in fine conditions, the heavens opened between the third and fourth events and the last was run in heavy rain.