Wagin Delivers Plenty of Doubles
Our Euphoria taking out race three for Nathan Dymock and Donald Harper. Credit: Photography by Jodie Hallows
Bailey McDonough started his night off in winning fashion with the young driver steering home Follow The Ark for her first win. The two-year-old double-westbred filly is trained by Peter Anderson and owned and bred by Allwood Stud Farm, having her second start in just 5 days, with a last start third at the Central Wheatbelt on Sunday. At long odds, the $26 shot settled towards the rear and took the longest way home to win by a half-head in the opener.
A race to race double for McDonough saw him steer home Robo Reactor for the six-year-olds first win at his tenth race start. The son of Auckland Reactor settled midfield throughout, to make his run with around 400m to go, to win by 8.4m. Trained by Hayden Reeves, Robo Reactor came off a last start second placing, to beat the favourite in a mile rate of 2:04:8 in race two.
The betting value continued in race three with Our Euphoria breaking a long dry spell between wins, with her last win being in October 2018. At seven-years-old the veteran pacer recorded her sixth career win at start 106. Trained by Nathan Dymock and driven by Donald Harper, she managed to run down the short-priced favourite in the concluding stages to win by 1.7m at $101 in 2:02:7.
The money was finally right in race four, with the $1.40 favourite sitting in the breeze throughout and still coming out on top in race four. Driven and trained by Shane Young, the four-year-old gelding made it five wins from 18 starts, winning by 1.8m in 2:02:8.
Continuing a successful week for Ash Markham, he managed to get the win with Sammys Ideal for trainer Michael Callegari, breaking an 11-month hiatus from the winners’ circle with the seven-year-old. With the two starters in the fifth, Callegari walked away with both runners saluting the judge, with consistent pacer Budd Sidewinder finishing in third placing.
What better way to celebrate your birthday than a driving and training win, which is the way Jocelyn Young celebrated her special day when her runner Warriors Legacy won narrowly in race six. The four-year-old started as the second favourite and after settling towards the rear, Warriors Legacy ran down the leaders to win in a mile rate of 2:01:1 over the 2180m.
Peter Anderson and Donald Harper teamed up again in the seventh to give them a winning double on the night, when Cluster Star broke through for her maiden win at her eighth race start. Andersons other runner Follow My Stride was only 2.6m from the winner to finish third in the second last of the night, the 3YO westbred pace over the 1776m sprint.
It was a close finish in the last, but El Jessie managed to hold on for the win over last start winner Thats So Fetch. Driven by Trent Wheeler, the mare recorded her second career victory and gave Hayden Reeves a training double on the card.
Ashleigh Paikos