Owner Bob Peters, trainer Grant Williams and the Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate had a “day out” at Belmont today – producing three winners for the day, and narrowly missing a fourth.
Relative newcomer Dark Delight ($2.50 fav) opened proceedings for the lucky syndicate, with a dominant 2 ½ length victory in the Manning Eagles Bowling Club Of The Year HCP 1300m. Shot to the lead upon barrier rise by jockey William Pike, the Flying Spur mare extended in the straight to hit the line untouched.
Peters was made to rethink retirement plans for Elite Belle ($3.70 fav) after the Canny Lad mare came from last and secured an inside run late to win the tabtouch.mobi HCP 1600m by a length and a half, while the ever-reliant Monumental ($4.20) was again rewarded for its consistent form with a narrow short neck triumph in the LD Total HCP 2100m.
With three winning cheques for the syndicate intact, Moonlight Bay almost capped off “the big one” – falling short in the Group 3 WFA Strickland Stakes to the fast finishing Kincaple by a mere neck.
In other races, Coruscation ($9.00) came with a late final burst to pinch the Westspeed Nursery HCP 1000m by a half-length, and in another close result, Troy Turner was rewarded for a brave ride aboard Fanicio when successful by a head in the Suzanne Newby 60th Birthday HCP 1600m after being bottled away on the fence for the majority of the race.
In arguably the upset of the day, Express Service ($8.50) held on to defeat the fast finishing Mr Utopia ($1.90 fav) by a short half head, while Military Secret continued an amazing purple patch of form when coming from ninth on the turn to capture the Crown Perth Sprint 1000m by ¾ length – clocking the fasted 600m final sectional (33.48 sec) in the process.
The Hoops / Trainers
William Pike piloted a double aboard Dark Delight and Elite Belle, and apprentice Chris Parnham also rode a double with Express Service and Monumental. Grant Williams trained a treble for the Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate with Dark Delight, Elite Belle and Monumental all successful.
The Tipsters
Blackie again had all the winners amongst his selections, but could only get Kincaple to the line in the Strickland. His first 4 in the second paid an astonishing $374.00, while Blackie also found the $220.00 trifecta in the fifth.
The Black Book
Mr Utopia was one step short of winning the second, after coming from last on the turn, while Master Robson and Moonlight Bay both produced eye catching runs and stay firmly under notice.
Chris Blackwell