Cup quest next for Wells
HALL of Fame trainer Leon Wells has set his sights on next year’s Devonport Cup with his well-bred gelding Gee Gee Fiorente after a courageous win at Elwick.
Gee Gee Fiorente ($4.80) joined the leaders on straightening and kicked clear, but when joined by the favourite Stormont ($2.35) another minor placing looked likely.
But under strong riding from Brendon McCoull, Gee Gee Fiorente fought back to hit the line a short half-head clear of the favourite.
“We always thought this horse would need a lot of ground being by a Melbourne Cup winner [Fiorente], but he seems to do his best over ground up to 1800 metres so we will aim him at the Devonport Cup [1880m] as his main mission next season,” Wells said. “He has done really well over the 1600m as he showed today, and he is very strong.”
Stormont (Bulent Muhcu) settled just beyond midfield in the small field of seven and when he was sent around the field 600m from home he worked into the race nicely and looked to be cruising on straightening but was unable to counter the winner’s fighting spirit.
TRAINER Imogen Miller was elated after her two-yearold Algernon ($21) scored an impressive win on debut in a maiden over 1100m. Miller, who co-trains with Chris Crook at Campania, trialled Algernon twice before racing but he failed to impress both times, which is why he was almost friendless in the market starting as a $21 outsider.
The well-backed Runaway Girl ($4.30) showed good speed to be one of the leaders and when she cruised to the lead in the straight, she was being hailed the winner.
But that’s when Algernon joined in as the widest runner and powered home to score from Runaway Girl, with outsider Ninth Angel ($18) running on well for third.
“I trained this horse’s mum Destiny’s Girl, so it is special training one of her progeny,” Miller said. “We gave him a couple of trials and he never really figured, but I was happy with what he did, and he continued to improve in his work. He’s done his job, so I’ll tip him out for a spell and look forward to him coming back as a three-year-old.” PREMIER trainer Scott Brunton expects his lightly raced mare Lucky Lil to win her way through the classes after breaking her maiden status over 1400m yesterday.
With David Pires aboard, Lucky Lil ($4.40) raced just beyond midfield and improved wide without cover to be in contention at the top of the straight. With the favourite Look to the Future ($2) still near last on the home turn, Pires sent the mare in pursuit of the leader Dunmining and went on to defeat that mare by more than a length.