Bred, owned and trained by John Guagliardo, the daughter of Sportswriter started at $23 odds in the opener, and with Hayden Charles making the trip up to Northam for just the one drive, the decision proved fruitful, with the pair able to get in the clear in the home straight to claim the win by 3.6m over the 2190m trip in 2:02:2.
The second on the card went the way of Spinner Of Yarn for David Simmonds and Chris Lewis after the three-year-old led all the way over the 1780m trip. After bringing up his maiden win back in March this year, he has struggled to find form since, but punters were confident he could get the job done on Saturday night, starting at just $2.35 odds.
Local trainer Maryann White got one on the board, with Observation taking out race three on the card. Driven by Trent Wheeler, his first win of his reining double on the night, the pair continued flying the flag for the roughie punters with the victory at $19 odds.
After a string of placings next to his name, the five-year-old brought up his second win in just seven starts, giving white her 267th training victory.
Lombo Mitchinson was successful in the fourth on the card for trainer/driver Cody Wallrodt, making the trip up to the Avon more than worthwhile for the Boyanup based young gun. After heading to the Wallrodt stable earlier this year, the three-year-old has now had six starts for the stable for four wins and a placing, with the youngster boasting an impressive strike rate since making the move.
After leading all the way, the pair never looked in doubt, going on to win by 5m over the 1780m sprint trip in 2:00:7.
After getting the gelding by chance, it's a decision that's proved fruitful for all concerned.
"I was just pre-training him, with the plan for him to go on to JP (Justin Prentice), but he was unable to take him on, so he suggested that I ask Mr Lombardo if I could push on with him,
"It has worked out well and I have another one almost ready to race for him." Wallrodt said.
Wallrodt currently has Lombo Ishak in work who is only weeks away from resuming. The now three-year-old had just the one start in late 2022 for Peter Anderson.
Whiteman experienced winning glory at Northam just a few weeks back, and he was back in the winner's circle in race six on the card when Hez A Chance claimed his 13th win in 117 career starts. Driven by Kyle Harper, the seasoned nine-year-old made his return in December 2022 after quite some time on the sidelines. The win gave Harper his first win of two on the night.
Starting at $41 odds, his last win was back in December 2021 when he led all the way at Gloucester Park at the mid-week meeting. Hez A Chance then spent some time in the paddock with a curbed hock, but by all reports from trainer Bruce Whiteman, the horse is now completely sound.
Extraordinary Mary is very rarely out of the money, and Saturday was no different with the now four-year-old mare bringing up her seventh career victory from 38 starts. Only failing to finish in the top five just the once this season, which was in the $30,000 WASBA 4&5YO Mares race back on the 11th of August where she finished 25m from the winner, The daughter of Fly Like An Eagle started from the 10m handicap at Northam, coming out on top with a 6.2m margin on the line.
Trained by Jemma Hayman and driven by Kyle Harper, the pair began safely in the standing start over the 2560m journey, and after settling behind the leader for the entire trip, Harper had to bide his time, waiting for the sprint lane where the pair sailed away with a comfortable victory, going to the line untouched in a winning mile rate of 2:01:5.
Hayden Reeves and Trent Wheeler have made it two from two, with Tempt The Stars taking out the last on the Card at Northam on Saturday night. The Two-year-old gelding by the former WA stood stallion Follow The Stars made the move to Reeves' stable just 12 days prior to his first start for the team, with Saturdays win just as unexpected as the one just 5 days earlier.
Starting from barrier five in the six-horse field, he was restrained to the rear soon after release point and with the leaders running the faster lead time of the night, the race was opened up, with Tempt The Stars and Wheeler making their run wide before the home turn to win by 9.5m in 1:59:4 over the 2190m trip.
