A Day for Twos – Stormy Dilo Making His Second Start Count
It appears Stormy Dilo appreciated the change in stable, with the now four-year-old breaking through for the win on Tuesday night at Narrogin for trainer and driver Chris Playle. Making his return to the track in the maiden event last night, he was having just his second start in a race after a year long hiatus from the track.
“I got him about a month ago from Lang Inwood. I was pretty confident (going into the race), his trial was very good last Sunday.” Playle said.
Unplaced at his only other attempt as a two-year-old, Stormy Dilo spent around six months in the paddock before heading to Lang Inwood before the Albany season, but he found the track too hard for the horse and after showing signs of jarring up, he subsequently sent the horse to Chris Playle to train.
“He raced as a two-year-old for Tilly (Peter Tilbrook) but he is so big they decided to give him time off, then we just brought him along steadily.” Former trainer Lang Inwood said.
The double Westbred gelding by Follow The Stars and out of Richeeza is bred and owned by Dianne and Lou Ramasz and their patience paid off in race seven when the $1.75 favourite led all the way in a mile rate of 2:05:9, taking the win by 6.4m over the 2242m trip.
Continuing the ‘two’ theme of the day, Chris Lewis secured an early driving double in the first two races, with the champion reinsman steering home Franco Western in the first race. The four-year-old brought up his second win at just his seventh start for trainer Nathan Turvey, with the gelding coming from behind to win by 4.9m in 2:01:3. The second of Lewis’ wins came up in race two when he paired up with his wife Debra’s runner Spy Major who claimed his first win this season and first win for the new stable. Winning by 5.4m over the 2242m trip, the five-year-old recorded a mile rate of 2:02:0.
Brothers Logan and Dylan Egerton-Green joined forces in the third, with Tumblin Dice making it two in a row. After working his way to the lead soon after release point, the four-year-old kicked away to win comfortably by 10.2m in 2:00:8 over the 2242m.
Greg and Skye Bond walked away with a race-to-race training double, with Ima Rockabilly Rebel NZ and Vulcan Star NZ taking out races four and five. With both driven by Ryan Warwick, it was a narrow win for Ima Rockabilly Rebel NZ who came from behind to win by a half head in 1:59:1 over the 2242m. Vulcan Star NZ started off the 30m handicap as the $1.08 favourite and after beginning well over the 2636m distance, Warwick was able to quickly claim the one-out-one-back position , and after tracking Palatino into the race at the 600m mark, was able to run over the top of him to win by a neck in 2:02:9.
Pinny Tiger returned to the winner’s circle in race six after leading from start to finish in 2:00:7 over the 2242m for Michael Brennan and Kyle Harper, bringing up the handy four-year-old’s seventh win in just 27 starts.
Locally marketed American sire Foreclosure secured his first winner in Australia, with two-year-old filly Pocketful Of Opals breaking through for her first win at just her third start in a race. Bred, owned, and trained by Collie based Bianca Ashcroft, the juvenile filly settled behind the leader over the 1823m journey in the small five horse field, with junior driver Kyle Symington pulling her out 400m from home, giving the $1.50 favourite the win by 7.6m in the last on the card, in a winning mile rate of 2:04:0.
Ashleigh Paikos