3 minute read
TAB Finals Day lived up to expectations at Morphettville on Saturday unearthing some potential stars of the future while some of South Australia’s smaller stables produced some big upsets.
The Peter and Belinda Blanch stable will continue to raise the bar with exciting four-year-old Validated who unleashed a powerful finish to account for some smart sprinters to claim the Gytrash Final, his sixth win from just 12 starts having earnt connections $319,130.
Validated was the second leg of a riding double for Dom Tourneur who claimed the opening race aboard Midnight Mass for the in-form Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor and Ned Taylor stable.
"He's a lovely horse for us,'' Bain said of Midnight Mass.
"He's really hit his straps this prep,'' he said.
The Phillip Stokes stable have plenty to look forward to with exciting mare Wakanjeja who made it three wins from as many starts when she unearthed her huge finishing burst to beat some handy types in the Riziz Final.
It was also the second leg of a riding double for Kayla Crowther who provided Murray Bridge trainer Gary Boyce with just the second win of his short training career in the Restricted Series Final over 1800m.
Promising filly Walk Like An Angel could be a horse to keep an eye out for during next year's Adelaide Racing Carnival after her dominant victory in the Rebel Raider Final.
Wearing the same colours of her dual Derby winning stablemate the series honours, Walk Like An Angel showed sharp improvement second-up without the blinkers.
"She'll definitely get black type,'' jockey Jason Holder said of the three-year-old.
Young trainer Justin Pickering's good run continued with All Beans winning the Country Sprint Series Final, the first leg of a winning double for apprentice Maggie Collett who claimed the Skybeau Final with Manzala who has postponed retirement plans following his form turn around.
Gawler horseman Darren Mcleod also landing the biggest win of his training career when Danish Fortune nailed En Francais in the final stride in the Happy Trails Final while consistent mare Starlite Valley was a dominant winner of the Viddora Final when she speared to the lead and safely held rivals.
