Abb Roy storms home to record upset victory
RACING: Former New South Wales galloper Abb Roy ($10) underlined her bargain status when she surged back to winning form with an upset Clifford Park victory on Saturday.
The five-year-old defied her give-away tag with a strongfinishing effort for jockey Norio Nishio to take out the Living Gems Ratings Band 0-55 Handicap (1100m).
Abb Roy arrived to down $20 chance Blaine by a long head, with another outsider Card Tricks ($21.) a further 11⁄4 lengths back third.
Abb Roy joined Warwick trainer Michael Hemmings three starts back after being given to part-owner Barry Burgess by her former Armidale trainer Paul Grills who retains a share of ownership in her.
The Zariz mare had scored only one previous win, at Inverell, last November.
But after racing fairly since linking with Hemmings midyear, Burgess was confident a second elusive win was just around the corner.
“That was only her third start for Michael but he’s done a good job with her,” Burgess said.
“She’s been around the money with fourth and fifth placings and I thought if she’s going to win another race tonight was going to be the night.”
Apprentice Adin Thompson and jockey Emma Ljung dominated the rest of the card with five winners between them while trainer Tony Sears bounced back from the defeat of first-race favourite Mail Escort to lead in a winning double.
Mail Escort ($3) went down by 11⁄4 lengths to in-form mare Clockwise ($4.80) from the Tony Webb stable in the Hygain Class 3 Handicap (1300m).
Real Patriot ($3.30) returned from a five-month spell for Sears with a comfortable allthe-way win in the A&R Refrigeration Class 2 Handicap (870m) while debutant Better Thinking ($3.50 fav) turned in a similar display in the Sedl Agencies QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1050m).
Thompson was successful on Real Patriot while also scoring on the Paul Nolan-trained Man In Motion ($4.20) and $1.60 fav Flaunt for trainer Steve Tregea.
Ljung followed her success aboard Better Thinking with a neat front-running ride to get Danniwillbreezeonby ($6) home for trainer Mark Currie in the Mitavite Maiden Handicap (1200m).