Tara and Phil Vigouroux claimed the last spot in the 15-horse field when their consistent mare Izfallingown ($21) ran third in the fifth and final heat over 1600m at Newcastle today.
She joins the Brad Widdup pair Showtime Lady and Sonic Tycoon, Brooke Somers' Dream Eclipse and Blake Ryan's Momack in the December 15 Final to give Hawkesbury its best ever representation in the annual summer feature.
Hawkesbury and Newcastle have the bulk of the Final runners, with 10 representatives between them.
Trainer Bernie Quinn, then based at Hawkesbury before relocating to Scone, won the inaugural 2018 Final with Bobbing, and Newcastle's leading trainer Kris Lees has won the next three – with Occupy at Gosford in 2019, Itz Lily in early 2021 at Wyong, and Darleb at Newcastle 12 months ago.
Trainer Edward Cummings won Hawkesbury's 70th race of the season when Strait Acer was successful on the Kensington track yesterday.
It was Cummings' second 2022-23 winner; his first being Aureus Angel at Kembla Grange at the beginning of the season on August 4.
Having only his second start after a first-up second at home on November 9, the Headwater colt overcame difficulties to land the 3YO Maiden (1400m).
Ridden by Josh Parr, Strait Acer ($3.40) narrowly defeated Associate ($14) to ensure he has already recouped his purchase price.
Strait Acer figured prominently in the stewards' report, underling the merit of his performance.
Stewards said the colt began awkwardly, and was bumped heavily by another runner.
Approaching the 1000m, after obtaining a position with cover behind runner-up Associate, he began to race keenly and was restrained by his rider.
A $25,000 buy at last year's Inglis Ready2Race sale, Strait Acer has earned $43,700 (including an $11,250 BOBS bonus) from his two starts.
Cummings said Strait Acer spent 10 days on the water walker after his debut appearance, and had trained on well leading up to yesterday's race.
He has no doubt the colt is open to plenty of improvement.
Straight Acer was Cummings' 38th career winner, and he went close to making it 39 – and a perfect day to boot – when Three Wise Men ($15) nearly took the Kensington closer, the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).
Three Wise Men came from well back with a determined rails run, but couldn't withstand the winner Hollywood North's surging finish.
