Wagin Pulls Off a Successful Double Westbred Feature
Allwood Wizard claiming top prize in the Westbred Prelude at Wagin. Photo Credit- Photography by Jodie Hallows
Racing at Wagin kicked off again for the second part of their season on Friday night, with the Spurrs Stud 3YO Westbred Prelude the highlighted feature on the card. With preference to west-sired progeny and a $2000 trophy incentive on offer, there was no surprise that the feature had 32 nominations, but with just the one prelude offered on the seven-race-card, the 10-horse field was filled with Double-Westbred three-year-olds.
At just his second start for trainer Shane Quadrio, Allwood Wizard made it two in a row, claiming the $5000 feature and $2000 trophy by a head in 1:59:6 over the 2180m. Driven by Donald Harper, the $1.65 favourite settled in the breeze throughout, taking out top prize, giving prominent owner and breeder Allwood Stud Farm the race quinella, with Troopingofthecolour going down narrowly on the line.
“Dylan and I have got to know Bob and Marilyn Fowler through the breeding side of the industry. Bob gave me a call and asked if Dylan and I could take him ad see what we think of him,”
“He has done a great job and we think he has a few more wins in him.”
With almost 10 months between wins, Nullarbor Navajo returned to the winner’s circle after taking out the first on the card for trainer Cheyenne King-Davies and driver Hayden Hancock. Coming from well back in the field, Hancock pulled the filly out three wide with a lap to go, going on to win by 10.8m in 2:02:5 over the 2180m trip.
Fifo broke her 27-start losing sequence and almost eight months between drinks when the four-year-old settled midfield and made her run three-wide from the bell, to win by 1.2m for mother and son team, Sarah and Joseph Suvaljko. At $19 odds, she brought up her fifth career win in a mile rate of 2:03:3 over 2180m journey.
Recent newcomer to the Hayden Reeves stable, The Freelancer, took out race three on the card after leading all the way over the 1776m sprint trip, giving reinsman Trent Wheeler the first leg of his winning double. With the inside marker galloping at release point, it left The Freelancer in front and that’s where he stayed, staving off rivals by 8.7m in 1:59:2.
They say change is as good as a holiday and that rang true in race four when Adda Tarantella saluted at $7.50 odds first up since returning to the stables of Charles Draper. Driven by Tim Stone, the five-year-old by now deceased WA stallion Rich And Spoilt sat in the breeze throughout the 2180m trip, going on to win 3.2m in 2:01:8.
Galactic Ruler kicked his maiden status in race six, when the Double-Westbred four-year-old led all the way for trainer Graham Cox, giving Trent Wheeler the second leg of his driving double on the night. In a mile rate of 2:05:9 over the 2180m, he managed to kick away to win by 22.6m, claiming his first win at just his sixth start in a race.
The two-year-old maidens rounded out the meeting, with Smokeys Shadow coming out on top at start 13 for breeder, owner and trainer Michael Callegari. Starting from barrier five in the seven-horse-field, Mitchell Miller put the filly in the breeze with just over a lap to go, going on to win by 4.6m in 2:01:9 over the 1776m sprint.
Pacing actions returns to Wagin on Friday the 19th of November, with the final of the 3YO Westbred featuring on the program.
Ashleigh Paikos