Bold front running squaregaiter Our Spitfire took her stakes earnings past $100,000 with a narrow victory at Port Pirie on Saturday.
Trained by Peta Brown at Bagot Well, just outside Kapunda, and driven by her husband Terry, Our Spitfire trotted to the front in the NC Equine Trotters Handicap (2050m) from barrier one and was never headed.
The eight-year-old mare, a $6 chance and despite getting tired over the final 100 metres, held on to win by a neck from Majestic Tilly ($4.80) with Buckles ($4.60), 1-1/2 metres away third.
Winning driver Terry Brown said the win had been Our Spitfire’s 11th since coming into the stable in November 2021.
“I love her, but I don’t think Peta or Nick (son Nicholas) share the same feelings,” Brown said.
“She can be a bit of a handful during trackwork, but I get on well with her.”
Our Spitfire won six races last season, but Saturday night was her first this year.
The victory took her stakes to $100,507 and much credit can go to the reinsman.
Brown rated the mare perfectly with a comfortable 55.8 second first half of the last 1600 metres, a quick 28.8 second third quarter coming home in 30 seconds.
“That was her first run since April so I knew she would get tired late,” Brown said.
“We were able to get away with a very easy first half (of the last 1600m) and she was always going to sprint a quick quarter which was enough to land the win.”
Our Spitfire was bred and owned by New Zealander Frank Weaver who raced dual Inter Dominion winner Pride Of Petite, the second win at Globe Derby Park in 1997 coming from near last with just 300 metres to travel.
After starting her career in New Zealand, the mare came to Victoria before coming across to join Ryan Hryhorec in 2021 but after six runs, she joined the Brown stable where she has proved to be a wonderful money-spinner.
Brown said he had spoken with Weaver and the plan was to give Our Spitfire another 12 months of racing.
“Next year I will chat with Mr Weaver about sending her to the breeding barn as I would love to race one of her foals.”
Star South Australian reinswoman Samantha Pascoe notched her 300th career victory when Clarenden Express stormed home to win the Hygain Pace (2050m) for Wasleys trainer Claire Goble.
Pascoe, 26, is currently fourth on the SA Driver’s premiership with 47 wins, just two behind veteran Gaita Pullicino, who leads the Reinswomen’s Association section.
Clarenden Express ($3.10) settled three back in the running line off a slow tempo but displayed superb acceleration over the final 300 metres to win easily by 9-1/2 metres from I Bet You ($3), with its stablemate Corzan Drama ($2.90 fav) a nose away third.
Another winner to produce a dazzling burst was star four-year-old Jamaican Rock which flashed home to win the Laucke Feed Pace (1609m).
Jamaican Rock has a history of being unruly and such appeared the case early in the race.
He was slow to score up, then when driver Anthony Robinson tried to get him to settle inside at the tail of the field, the gelding was throwing his head around and not looking at all comfortable.
The heavily backed Sheza Manipulator ($2.30 into $1.45 fav) found the front from barrier four and was controlling the tempo with a pedestrian second quarter of 33.8 seconds.
Just as the favourite was being hailed the winner, Jamaican Rock exploded down the outside and came so quickly he won by 1-1/2 metres.
Globe Derby Park trainer Nick Tardio combined with Angle Vale reinsman Dean Girardi to land a winning double.
Tashs Mate ($12) won the Alex’s Meat Pace (1609m) then Extrinsic ($8) was too strong in the Ladbroke It! Pace (1609m).
Both wins were helped by excellent drives.
Tashs Mate started from gate four, and Extrinsic from five, but in each race Girardi was able to manoeuvere them into the one-out, one-back spots on settling down which proved crucial in the victories.
Sprinting home strongly, Tashs Mate won by five metres from Zaras All Good ($11) with Dreamy Castafiore ($13), six metres away third.
The $1.30 favourite Island Caesar led up but faded to finish fifth, beaten 14 metres.
Extrinsic was given a beautiful drive by Girardi and finished best to grab the $2.15 favourite Call Me Sir which ran an incredible race.
Coming from gate six, Call Me Sir had no luck and driver Samantha Pascoe had hoped to find the spot outside the leader but found herself trapped three wide for the whole race.
Pascoe asked her drive to go for home off the back straight but Extrinsic proved too powerful in the run home.
SA’s Horse of the Year Miss Idaho returned from a Victorian campaign in the Midstate Hardware Pace (1609m) but could only finish fourth as the $1.33 favourite behind Kahina, trained at Globe Derby Park by Ray Holberton and driven by Bernadette Page.
Kadina trainer Leah Holman is off walking the Kokoda Trail but picked up some spending money when Bling It Up, which she part-owns and trains led throughout in the SD Caputo & Sons Pace (1609m), aggressively driven by Todd Mumford.
With the Globe Derby Park track undergoing a facelift, racing again next Saturday will be at Port Pirie with the $9,999 Southern Cross Pace (1609m).
Racing on Monday will be at Gawler with the Emerging Stars Trotters heat a feature.
