The last meeting Belmont Park for the year produced a little bit of everything – a handful of saluting favourites for the punters, and a couple of boil overs for the bookies.

And it was fitting to see the punters and bookies come out square today; following an inconsistent winter carnival littered with mixed results week to week.

Of the favourites, Tiger Pete ($2.90 fav) appreciated a significant drop in class when returning to the winners list in the Konica Minolta HCP 1300m, while jockey Ben Paterson and trainer Adam Durrant teamed up to finish off the card with a double – Ora Dare ($2.70 fav) racing away with the Itmsoil Pty Ltd HCP by 3 ¼ lengths, and Sail Maker ($2.30 fav) prevailing in the Racing Returns To Ascot Next Saturday BM66+ 1600m by 1 ¼ lengths.

Of the upsets, you won’t get a bigger blow out than the win of Test The Angels ($101.00) in the Corestaff HCP 1600m. Without a win in nearly three years, the Testa Rossa 7yo was sent forward by hoop Lucas Camilleri before finding the lead in the straight and clinging on for a short neck victory from the heavily supported True Gold ($5.50 – $4.00 fav).

Punters were also stung in the Devon Gilmour HCP 1200m when Inok ($12.00) led all the way to outlast the resuming Profound Effect ($4.50 – $2.80 fav) by ¾ length.

In other races, first starters Vital Art ($7.00) and Roebuck ($4.80) both won their respective heats of the Westspeed Initial Plate 1000m for the 2YO’s, before Cool Trade ($5.50) led all the way to win the Skyy Vodka HCP 1200m by a short head, and Modello ($6.50) clocked up another five furlong victory when successful in the Crown Perth Sprint 1000m by a short head.

The Hoops / Trainers

Apprentice jockey Ben Paterson and trainer Adam Durrant had a race to race double with classy performances from Ora Dare and Sail Maker.

The Tipsters

Blackie managed to get his money back from last week with best bet Tiger Pete ($2.90) doing the job in the third, while first starter Roebuck ($4.80) and the well fancied Sale Maker ($2.30) were also heavily commissioned.

On the east coast, Shane had a mixed day but managed to come out on top. Of his fancies, British General ($9.00) fell in at Caulfield, while That’s A Good Idea ($2.25 fav) and Sharnee Rose ($7.00) both won well at Randwick. Shane again came close in the Doomben quaddie – with Bodega Negra ($6.00), Okane ($13.00) and Qfighter ($3.70 fav) all winning their respective legs.

The Black Book

The runs of Kheleva, Darlington Abbey and Hale Boy were all full of merit and stay under notice.

Chris Blackwell