By ‘Pegs’
KILMORE trainer Lee Hope saddled up his first city winner at Ladbrokes Park Sandown on Wednesday since returning from a three-year hiatus.
In only his fifth start for Hope Racing, Big Brew, paying $9.50, came from the rear of the 15-horse field to storm down the outside of the Hillside track to take out the $50,000 Tile Importer Handicap over 1500 metres.
Ridden by the in-form claiming two kilogram apprentice Alana Kelly, the six-year-old Magnus gelding got up in a blanket finish to defeat Sunfall, $9.50, by a half-head with Santero, $8.50, a short-half-head away third.
Formerly trained by Mark and Levi Kavanagh at Flemington, the gelding was bred and is raced by Bill Bowness who was introduced to Lee and Shannon Hope by long-time friend and stable client, Tony ‘Tubba’ Williams.
Hope HR manager Carol Shinn said the gelding arrived into the Kilmore stables early February.
“He has thrived in the country environment ever since and he has never ran a bad race,” she said.
“He was stiff not to win at Pakenham as the race was earmarked by the team, being Super Vobis race, and he was beaten by an upcoming horse (Gate Crash) in the last couple of strides.
“Lee and Shannon were reasonably confident he would acquit himself well (at Sandown) and with the light weight on his back, and Alana executed the ride perfectly.”
Big Brew, a stable favourite due to his pleasant nature, will head back to Sandown in two or three weeks as there are plenty of suitable races at that track coming up in the next six weeks.
The gelding has now won four races with seven minor placings from his 29 starts.
Back-to-back wins for Powell
Kilmore trainer Hanna Powell made it back-to-back wins with her home-bred Kiss Me If You Can, $6, at Bendigo on Sunday in taking out the $35,000 The Big Screen BM64 Handicap over 1500 metres.
Coming off an impressive Geelong win a fortnight earlier, the five-year-old gelded son of O’Lonhro and Ellakeira was again ridden by Luke Nolen in defeating Elarski, $8.50, by a three quarters of a length with the $4.40 favourite Confrontational a neck away third.
“I didn’t give Luke any instructions, I just said ‘do what you did last time’ and he carried that out to the letter,” Powell said.
Powell was also full of praise for former jockey and stable assistant Jason Baldock.
“He does all my trackwork and stable duties and I couldn’t do without him,” she said.
Powell, who bred and races the gelding in partnership, said he was so relaxed in his races that he might eventually get out to 2000 metres.
“I’ll look for a mile for his next start in a fortnight or so as he has pulled up very well,” she said.
The consistent Kiss Me If You Can has now won four races with nine minor placings from his 19 starts earning $122,882 in prizemoney.
Kyla sings for Osborne
Earlier on the Bendigo program, Kyneton trainer George Osborne saddled-up Kyla, $11, for a narrow win.
The well-named four-year-old daughter of Your Song and Weekend in Manila took out the $35,000 Bendigo Magazine Maiden Plate over 1400 metres.
Ridden by Patrick Moloney, the mare defeated the $3.10 favourite Shalily by a half-head with Moxatation, $21, a short-half-head away third.
Kyla was a bargain buy for Osborne who purchased the filly at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for $5000 and races the mare in partnership with stable clients.
The mare had three second placings prior to her win. She was having her 12th start and has earnt just shy of $55,000 in prizemoney.
A class apart for Butch’s Ojosan
Seymour trainer David ‘Butch’ Bourne saddled-up the promising Ojosan, a $4.40 favourite, for a most impressive win at Wangaratta on Thursday.
The Mikki Isle three-year-old filly took out the $35,000 Sportsbet Set A Deposit Limit BM64 Handicap over 1100 metres.
Giving the in-form hoop the second leg of a riding double, the filly defeated Lord Domino, $5, by three lengths with Mojo Music, $8.50, a further three quarters of a length away third.
Bourne purchased the filly at the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for $50,000 for a stable client.
The consistent Ojosan has now won two races with four minor placings from seven starts, already earning $61,060 in prizemoney.
