PETER MORGANTI – RACING


PATRONS at Coleraine’s annual Jumps, Blues & Brews Great Western Steeplechase meeting enjoyed a vibrant day, lapping up great racing with plenty of food, drinks and music in beautiful sunny conditions.


Coleraine’s racing manager, Elle Guthrie was very pleased with the day.


“It was a big crowd for a Sunday jump’s meeting, and the weather was absolutely perfect.”


Warrnambool trainer, Symon Wilde, dominated the meeting with four winners including taking out the Ecycle Solutions Great Western Steeplechase by 14 lengths with Fabalot.


Three of Wilde’s four wins resulted in the jumps races.


Fabalot gave his rivals a jumping lesson, leading from start to finish for an impressive win in the $60,000 feature.


The son of Camelot enjoyed the drop back in class after placings behind Stern Idol and The Mighty Spar, to record his second chase win for the season.


It was the middle pin of a riding treble for Will Gordon, previously winning on Wilde’s impressive jumping mare, Enchanted Elle, before a flat win on Shogun Express for trainers Patrick and Michelle Payne.


Wilde’s other wins were with Hit The Road Jack in the Adam Lindsay Gordon 0-114 Hurdle and finally Triomphe in the Coleraine Hotel 0-58 Highweight Handicap.


The win of Enchanted Elle in the Hammonds Paint Coleraine Hurdle was very impressive, winning by 19 lengths in very fast time.


After one hurdle start in New Zealand last season, the daughter of Jakkalberry found its way to Warrnambool to embark on what has been a promising start to her jumping career in Australia.


Three wins and two placings from six hurdle starts, signals plenty of good times ahead for the owners of the dashing mare.


The meeting also provided the first jump’s win for Warrnambool trainer, Joanne Mugavin.


After three placings from his first five hurdle starts, Topspin made it a day to remember for Mugavin, winning the Bartons Waste Maiden Hurdle.


With apprentice Jordan Hart claiming 3kgs, it was significant in defeating race favourite Teewaters by two-and-three-quarter lengths.


Rounding out a great day of racing, The Southern Grampians Livestock & Real Estate 0-58 Highweight Handicap was won by Digari ridden by Tom Ryan for trainer Andrew Bobbin, defeating local runner State Of Maine trained by Charlotte Parker.


Racing returns to Coleraine on 26 September for its cup meeting.