The first on the card went the way of Boston Blue Chip for trainer/driver Robert Abercromby, with the four-year-old leading all the way over the 2190m trip. Purchased a year ago by the Abercromby family, the then three-year-old had eight starts before heading to the paddock in late December with Abercromby confident the gelding had ability but gaiting issues and less than ideal confirmation were holding him back.
"We were trying to get him to grow into himself and have Jack Sheehy shoe him just lately and he has really gotten him off his knee and pacing well,
"I thought with his gate speed he could lead, and he likes to roll even, so that was the way to go." Abercromby said.
Craig Hynam and Donald Harper joined forces in race two with the $2.50 favourite Path Of Gold taking top spot. With his last win at Williams in February this year, the four-year-old had a short let up in March before making his return in June and with his last two starts at Gloucester Park in the midweek meets, it appears the son of Follow The Stars appreciated the drop in class on Friday night, with Harper coming out three wide from the one-out-one-back position with around 500m to go, with the pair going on to win by 4.7m in 2:00:4.
It wouldn't be a country meeting without a win for Trent Wheeler and race three was his race with The Righteous leading all the way over the 1780m journey. Trained by Peter Anderson, the seven-year-old brought up his 11th career win from 97 starts, bringing his stakes to just shy of $70,000.
After going down narrowly last week at Northam, Johnny Lombo came out on top this week to claim race four on the card for trainer/driver Aldo Cortopassi. After initially restraining at release point to settle at the rear, Cortopassi was soon making his way three wide to settle in the breeze with 1400m to go, with the five-year-old claiming the win with just a head margin in 2:01:7. The win gave the chestnut his fifth victory in 28 starts, his second this season in just five starts since making his return in June after a let up.
Cortopassi didn't have long to wait for his next win, with Vintage Blu taking out the fifth on the card for his partner Amber Sparks. The $3.20 favourite followed the leader out from release point after starting from barrier 7 and with 400m to go, Cortopassi pushed his way out three wide to come the better, getting the win with a 4.6m margin in 1:59:3.
Tommy Sheehy made his comeback to driving just weeks ago and Friday night saw the 54-year-old get his second win in just three weeks, edging him closer to the elusive 100 club. After getting the call up to drive Foxy Rose in race six on the card, Sheehy had itchy palms at around the 1700m mark with the pair making their way three wide to gain the lead with a lap and a half to go, with the Patrick Miller trained five-year-old claiming the win with a 2.5m margin over the 2190m in 2:02:4.
Rock The Bank has been racing in fantastic form of late, with a string of placings in his last five starts, but Friday was the night for the maiden, with trainer/driver Stephen Simms finally getting the win with his three-year-old. Starting as the $1.80 favourite in the last on the card, Simms was able to lead all the way, claiming the win with a 3m margin on the line in a mile rate of 2:08:4 over the 2190m.
