For the third time in six weeks the apprentice jockeys matched their older rivals after dominating the front half of today’s Belmont card.
Young Chris Parnham kicked off proceedings in the opener – the AFL Grand Final Day Package At Belmont Park HCP 1000m – with a stirring long neck victory aboard the Canny Lad 5yo Pure Adrenalin ($4.80). Sitting in third throughout, Parnham pushed his mount forward along the rail as they swung the turn to take off after raging favourite It’s A Merc ($2.40 fav) – claiming the leader in the final stride for the first upset victory for the day.
Apprentice Ben Paterson was next to salute in the ozbet.com.au HCP 1400m, with a brilliant ride aboard the Keeper 5yo Keepers Court ($3.40). Hammered by punters prior to the start, Paterson positioned Keepers Court beautifully in the run, before releasing the hand-brake in the straight to career away for a soft 2 ¾ length win.
It was Jerry Noske’s turn to shine, and she would dominate the next two races.
Aboard the Fred Kersley trained De Jersey ($5.00), Noske executed a near perfect ride in the Westspeed Sprint 1000m – opening the De Troy fillies winning account with a barnstorming finish from near last on the turn to get up in the shadows of the post by a mere neck, while securing the fastest final 600m sectional (33.25 sec) in the process.
The very next race could not have been any more different for Noske, as she extricated every ounce of strength out of Woken ($2.70 fav) to lead all the way in the perthracing.com.au HCP 1600m – clinging on for a narrow long neck victory from the fast finishing Star Of Husson ($5.50).
In other races, Fred Kersley brought up the second leg of a training double, when On The Ropes ($2.80 fav) easily accounted for a rise in class to smash rivals by four lengths in the Irish Day At Belmont Park In 5 October HCP 1400m, while Aquanita trainer Simon Miller certainly has a serious race horse on his hands with So Symbolic ($3.60 fav) successful in its WA debut – landing the prize in the tabtouch.mobi HCP 1200m by a convincing 1 ¾ lengths.
Trainer Liz Strempel and jockey Jason Brown teamed up to win the Phil McPhail Birthday HCP 1600m, with Suribachi ($10.00) storming home late from seventh to get the right bob in and win by a long head from The Alleged ($9.00), while the swoopers also dominated the Westspeed Stayers’ Bonus HCP 2200m with hoop Jason Whiting careering Looking Ahead ($12.00) home from twelfth on the turn to triumph by a half-length in the final race of the day.
The Hoops / Trainers
Young Jerry Noske rode a race to race double aboard De Jersey and Woken – the former being the first leg of a Fred Kersley training double – the other winner being the impressive On The Ropes.
The Tipsters
As the money came for Keepers Court ($3.40) – Blackie loaded up on his best bet which duly saluted – and linked it together with his other fancy So Symbolic ($3.60 fav) for a profitable double. Blackie also spruiked the trifecta in both races, but donated a fair bit back late in the program.
On the east coast, Shane had a difficult day on the punt, but did find Atlantic Jewel ($2.20 fav) at Caulfield, Va Pensiero ($31.00) at Rosehill, and Bodega Negra ($13.00) at Doomben.
The Black Book
Ron’s Call looks very close to a win after a slashing late finish in the sixth, while the runs of Flying Zoe and When We Were Kings were full of merit – both horses producing solid performance carrying big weights.
Chris Blackwell