Hostar hops to Murtoa win
Warrnambool trainer Peter Chow took out the 2021 Murtoa Cup in impressive style with his $5.50 visiting galloper Hostar.
Noted wet-tracker Hostar relished the heavy conditions, sitting at the rear of the field for most of the 2050-metre journey before reeling in his rivals late to record a narrow victory.
Jockey Michael Poy watched patiently as the race unfolded in front of him, unleashing a big run in the home straight on a day where most runners found it hard to make ground on the leaders.
The cup win brought up a double for the Chow stable after apprentice jockey Josh Richards steered Outstanding Reward to victory in the second race.
The three-year-old used every metre of the Murtoa home straight to get past race leader Race Against Time – Tony and Calvin Mcevoy – but poked her head in front when it mattered to bring up her maiden victory.
It was just the second race start for the Reward For Effort filly, following an unplaced effort on debut at Warrnambool in May.
Trainer Tom Dabernig is developing an affinity with Wimmera tracks, with another successful trip up the Henty Highway from his newly found Warrnambool base.
After going home with a winner and a placing from Horsham a fortnight ago with three-year-old filly Spinning, Dabernig prepared just one runner for Murtoa – Miss Balvenie, who stormed away from her rivals to record a dominant five-length win on debut.
Punters who took the $2.50 on offer will rarely have an easier watch as the Vanbrugh filly travelled strongly throughout the race and looked in no danger as she swept to the lead at the 200-metre mark.
Jockey Blake Mcdougall eased down on the three-year-old approaching the line, suggesting there’s much more in the tank than we witnessed on Saturday.
Assistant trainer Darren Bell said the win wasn’t unexpected.
“We were quite confident she’d run well; the heavy ground was the question mark for us,” he said.
“She won with plenty in hand and has pulled up very well.”
Bell said they had not set a firm goal for their filly this prep, preferring to race her through the grades and hope to measure up to metropolitan class. Of the stable’s recent Horsham winner, Spinning: “She’s going in the deep end, she’ll run in a Group Three fillies race at Caulfield on Saturday. We’ve got a high opinion of her but she’s still improving. This will be the measuring stick.”
Four-year-old maiden Launch Pad, runner-up at the same Horsham meeting, heads to Hamilton on Saturday.
“The bigger track will suit and he’ll be very hard to beat,” Bell said of his Puissance de Lune gelding.