Raymond Vigar, who only returned to race riding last November after four years out of the saddle, was in red-hot form at Fannie Bay on Friday, bagging a hat trick of wins on the five-race card.

Vigar, 30, began the day by combining with Vanguard Legend to score in a close finish in the Darwin Cup Carnival Tickets On Sale TROBIS Maiden (1200m), repeated the dose in the next when Forms Of Fear took out the Sportsbet Handicap, and completed the hat-trick aboard Shecanmixit in the sixth heat of the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Series.

Vanguard Legend, a newcomer to the Chloe Baxter stable, having formerly been trained by Darwin Cup winning trainer Peter Robl, did a few things wrong in the opener but still finished off resolutely to down Merchant Delight, King Waldo and Mansura in a busy finish.

The margins were just a short neck and a long head, and Vanguard Legend was doing his best work late, leading to his trainer to confirm that a tilt at the $50,000 Alice Springs Guineas (1600m) on 22 March is on the cards.

“I’ll probably just trial him down there and go straight to the race,” said Baxter. “He wants ground so hopefully it all works out for the best.”

Forms Of Fear showed that the step-up in grade held no fears for him when a strong winner of the Sportsbet Handicap (1200m).

The 5yo son of Written Tycoon, trained by Tayarn Halter, began well for Vigar and shared the lead with Doc O’Conner before the latter took over on his own with about 1000m to run in the 1200m contest.

Doc O’Connor still led turning for home, but Forms Of Fear was soon alongside, took over at the 250m mark and proved too strong for his chief rival, winning by over three lengths.

Halter was delighted with her charge. “I was worried about the rise in class today, but he handled it really well. Raymond rode him with a sit as I wanted, and he finished off strongly,” she said.

The trainer was undecided as to the future plans with Forms Of Fear, however, did not rule out a trip to the Alice Springs Carnival for the gelding.

He has now won four of his 18 starts, and with three seconds and two thirds as well, has stakes of just over $97,000.

Baxter and Vigar were at it again in the third of the day with Shecanfixit, who showed admirable fight to cling on for victory in the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Series Handicap (1000m) after leading from the outset.

A winner fresh-up on 1 February, Shecanfixit was challenged hard in the home straight by firstly Hey Little Sister and then Valaroc, but had just enough in reserve to score by a short neck from the latter, with topweight and favourite Physical Graffiti going a slashing race to storm into third after being slowly onto stride.

Shecanfixit, a 6yo daughter of Danerich, is raced by a syndicate including several members of the Criddle family and has now won five of her 29 starts. With her eight seconds and a third as well, she took her stake earnings through the $100,000 barrier to $112,365.

The most impressive winner of the day, and almost certain St Patrick’s Day Cup favourite, was Seven Secrets, who gave his rivals a galloping lesson in the Sky Racing Handicap (1600m).

Trained by Chris Nash and with apprentice Lannah Le Blanc in the saddle, Seven Secrets, having just his second start at the trip, began well from the inside gate and held the lead into the back straight.

Nash knows a thing or two about winning St Patrick’s Day Cups, having saddled up King Kev (2015) and Son Of Bielski last year to win the off – Carnival feature over 1600m.

“He’s got a bit of King Kev about him this horse,” said Nash. “He obviously relishes the trip and Hannah gave him a good ride,” he said.

He’s Essential (Gary Clarke/Jarrod Todd) led throughout to score nicely from Queen In The North and Hotim English in the last of the day, the LJ Hooker Commercial Handicap (1600m), and is another on the St Pat’s Day Cup Trail.

Story Courtesy of Andrew O’Toole