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Lightly raced four-year-old mare Scardimalia extended her winning streak to three with a tough victory in the Winning Edge Presentations Benchmark 68 (1200m) in Hobart on Sunday.
In a race that was dominated on-speed, jockey David Pires positioned the $4.60 chance outside the leader Move On Over ($7.50 to $5) early in the race, and that pair would eventually fight out the finish with Scardimalia on the right end of a photo by the barest of margins.
Having commenced her campaign with a class 1 victory in Hobart on 25 June, the daughter of Divine Prophet and Sharp Secretary has worked through her grades rapidly.
"There was niggling issues last prep where she didn't really fire, we always knew she had ability and we're really seeing the results now," said jockey David Pires after the race.
Sunday's victory was Scardimalia's fourth from just eight career starts, with all her wins coming on the Hobart track.
"It was a pretty solid (benchmark) 68 field today and to do what she did was so impressive.
"Obviously mares in form hold their form well and while she's going good there looks a nice race for her on the 13th (August)," added Pires in reference to an 1100m benchmark 76 on the next Hobart program.
Pires delivered a race-to-race double in the final two races, also partnering Thoughts'n'Prayers ($14 into $10) to victory, however the results were bittersweet in the chase for the jockeys' premiership, eventually falling one short of Brendon Mccoull following his win earlier in the day aboard the highly impressive General Assembly.
"It's been another good season for me being able to battle it out with McCoull and there wasn't much in it at the end.
"Congratulations to Brendon on the premiership, hopefully I'm up there again next season."
The double for Pires took his season win tally to 53 and gave him riding honours on the day. In a rare occurrence for Hobart, neither of Pires' winners came for trainer Scott Brunton who was winless on the day, the spoils shared across seven individual trainers.
