The second of the eight week season of the Williams, Bridgetown, Collie season was held last Sunday afternoon and Collie connections had two winners and four seconds for the day in Bridgetown.
Dale Jackson’s three-year-old started the day with a second after sitting outside the leader for Trent Wheeler and going down narrowly to the favourite Stop The Watch. He was skinny value at $1.04 for the place.
Wheeler then also breezed with Ross Ashby’s Disco Durante for a convincing win in a fast 2.00.1 mile rate, paying $10.80 and $3 for the win and place. David Hunter’s $1.70 favourite Itz All About Magic came home very fast from one out and two back for Stuart McDonald to run second, returning $1.20 for the place.
A double for Wheeler came up in the fourth event behind the Peter Hemsley trained Natural Temptation. The mare settled well back before unleashing a scintillating sprint down the back the final time to run away with a 10 metre win. She was good value at $7.50 the win and $1.70 the place.
Karen and Cody Wallrodt combined with Shelby Cruzin for a sound second after leading. This was the first time for a long while he had a nice draw and could pay to follow after returning a place dividend of $3.10.
Trent Wheeler wrapped up his good afternoon with a narrow defeat behind the Graeme Waters trained Avivo after leading till the shadows of the post. She returned a place dividend of $1.90.
The Bridgetown results made some changes to the combined Williams, Bridgetown, Collie seasonal awards.
Natural Temptation takes the lead in the Noel and Bev Holdsworth Horse of the Year award with five points while Trent Wheeler moved to within three points of the Ray Aramini Memorial Reinsperson’s award leader in Dylan Egerton Green on 16 points.
Terry Ferguson (10) and John Graham (9) lead the field in the Auburn Valley Merino Stud Trainers award and Bailey McDonough (16) drew to within one point of the Cally and Brian Ellis Junior Reinspersons Award leader in Corey Peterson.
On Friday night Wheeler finished second twice with four fourths in Albany. His placings were behind Princess Major for Kat Warwick ($1.04) and Captured Delight for Terry Ferguson ($1.70).
The Wayne Justins stable had a good day out on Monday afternoon where their 6yo mare Gunna Get lucky scored for Michael Grantham. Starting a $3 favourite she sat behind the leader early before being cleverly extricated at the bell into the one wide line and drawing away at the 600m mark for an impressive win. She returned a place dividend of $1.40.
The day improved later when Mighty Flying Deal settled well back for Grantham before coming three and four wide in the last lap to forge to the front at the top of the straight and streak away impressively. He paid a very nice $6.20 and $2.40 for connections
Another big weekend of pacing is on again this weekend with a Bunbury programme on Saturday night following meetings at Gloucester Park and Albany on Friday before the opening of the Collie season on Sunday afternoon.