Smooth Rye Continues on her Winning Ways
Smart mare Smooth Rye winning at Northam on Friday night. Photo Credit: Photography by Jodie Hallows
Smooth Rye may have moved to the Peter Anderson stable recently, but the in-form mare is still giving Corey Peterson the winning feeling. With the recent WA lockdown putting a temporary delay on Petersons move to NSW, the 21-year-old piloted his old mare to victory, coming off a last start win in metropolitan company last week. Owned by Allwood Stud Farm, the win gave the prominent breeding stud an owning double as well as giving Anderson a training double in the Avon.
Former trainer Corey Peterson took over Smooth Rye in early May for total of five starts for four wins and a third placing, taking her earnings to $19,162 in that five-week period.
“She’s (Smooth Rye) flying at the moment. It’s a shame I had to give her back.” Peterson said.
Peterson has been given permission to leave the state and will start his journey to Menangle tomorrow morning.
Cody Wallrodt flew the flag in the first at Northam when he led all the way on Cluster Star for trainer Peter Anderson. Owned by Allwood Stud Farm, the three-year-old filly was able to dictate terms throughout, staving off her rival by 2.6m in a mile rate of 2:00:9. By Allwood Stud Farms own stallion, Follow The Stars, Cluster Star brought up her third career victory in just 13 starts.
After being the runner up in the first, Mitchell Miller got his winner in the second with Make It Quick getting the cash for trainer Craig Hynam in 1:57:00 over the 1780m sprint trip. The win gave stallion Follow The Stars a race to race double with his progeny and with a win later in the night, giving the sire three wins on the program.
With a recent change of stable, Tenacious George gave the Bell stables a win at just his first start since getting the three-year-old only weeks ago. Driven by Joseph Suvaljko, he settled one-out-one-back and kicked away for a 4.8m victory in 1:59:5 in race three.
Elsu You broke an almost two-year spell from the winners circle when he took out race four at Northam with Bailey McDonough on board. Trained by Hayden Reeves, the five-year-old recorded his fourth win in 44 starts in a mile rate of 2:02:2. The win gave his connections their first win since purchasing him in late 2019.
Miss Taken NZ made it two in a row for Matt Scott and Mitchell Miller with her comfortable win in the fifth on the card. The $1.45 favourite led all the way, giving Miller his second win on the night. In a mile rate of 1:59:8, she was too classy for her rival, kicking away for a 4.5m victory.
Paroquet has claimed her maiden victory in the three-year-old race, winning narrowly for driver Shane Butterworth and giving trainer Hayden Reeves the second leg of his winning treble on the card. In a mile rate of 2:02:3, the filly managed to run down the leader, claiming the win in the shadows of the post in race seven.
Bailey McDonough and Hayden Reeves with Rufusbrandy after his win. Photo Credit : Northam HRC
Reeves’ success continued in to race eight, the maiden, with his runner Rufusbrandy breaking through for his first victory. The lightly raced eight-year-old gave driver Bailey McDonough the second instalment of his winning double on the night.
The double westbred gelding is by WA stallion Justlikejosh, who has just a handful of foals on the ground. Rufusbrandy is the first foal to race and now win for the local sire.
The two-year-olds ended the meeting at Northam with Dustyroads getting his first win on the board for trainer David Simmonds, giving Mitchell Miller a treble on the card. Simmonds prepared two of the five runner, with his other runner Cutting Roses finishing third after leading throughout.
Ashleigh Paikos