SON Of Bielski thrust himself to the forefront of St Patrick’s Cup calculations with a fresh-up win in the St Patrick’s Day Races 16 March Handicap, feature event at Fannie Bay on Friday.
The 7yo son of Dissident, who had put together a hat-trick of wins back in October before being spelled, was expected to need the run over the 1300m, but found plenty in the straight to take the decision by a half-neck from favourite Saccharo.
After sitting back in the five-horse field, Jade Hampson allowed her mount to improve approaching the home turn as Barragunda cut out the pace. Saccharo, who also sat back in the early and middle stages, made his run around horses while Hampson cut the corner on Son Of Bielski to issue his challenge.
The pair collared Barragunda with about 80m to run and set down to fight it out, with Son Of Bielski, carrying 54.5kg, proving too strong for the topweight, who lumped 60.5kg. Barragunda took third a length and-a-half back, with the Clarke Racing pair of Desert Dreamer and Syncline at the tail.
Chris Nash, who only has a couple in work at present, was delighted with his charge.
“He has come up really well since his break, but I still thought he was half a run short. He did such a good job last prep and looks to have gone forward since,” he said.
The $40,000 St Patrick’s Cup (1600m) to be run on 16 March will be Son Of Bielski’s next start, and if he races well in that, a trip to the Red Centre for the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) could be on the agenda.
“We’ll see how he goes in a fortnight – he has plenty of improvement in him and has really taken to the surface and the weather up here,” said Nash.
Hampson was not content with just the one winner on the day – she went on to bag two more for a memorable treble, her first at her home course.
The Stifmeister, trained by Tayarn Halter, gave her a race-to-race double when he burst through late to take out the Garrards Horse and Hound Handicap (1200m).
Hampson settled her mount off a competitive speed, and tracked up nicely around the home turn.
However, she had to wait for clear running outside Ye Hella and inside Zourisky, but once that presented itself, The Stifmeister showed plenty of determination to collar favourite Rising Fire, who looked the winner at the 50m mark, by a short head, with Zourisky just a half-length away third.
And the 20yo apprentice brought up the treble, and her 67th career win, in ridiculously easy fashion, Forms Of Fear bolting in by over 12 lengths in the Cup Carnival Tickets On Sale Handicap (1100m).
Trained by Garry Lefoe, Forms Of Fear began well, held the inside and the lead before putting a break on his rivals approaching the home turn. The son of Written Tycoon was never in danger of defeat, streaking away to win in a canter from Gotta Beat, with Rojo Boom third.
He was timed for the trip in 1:02.21, only .37sec outside the track record held by Patriotic King.
Swing With Junior, ridden by Emma Lines, hugged the rail throughout to score in the seventh heat of the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Series (1100m).
Owned and trained by Chloe Baxter, Swing With Junior, who is only small in stature, held on gamely along the inside to deny the favourite Mr Have A Chat, whose task was made all the more difficult when he was tardy into stride at the start.
The margin at the post was a long neck, with Global Wonder charging home from the rear to take third just a half-length back.
Fly Nice gave Wayne Davis his first win since returning to the Top End after a stint in Geraldton, Western Australia, when leading throughout in the Ladbroke It! 3&4YO Handicap (1300m).
Davis sent the Phil Cole-trained mare to the front from the outset and she defied her rivals to run her down, holding on gamely to secure a two-length win from Bon’s Pride, who was doing his best work late, with Tubthumper a long neck away third.
By Andrew O’Toole