LINDSEY Smith and Jarrod Fry combined to dominate Friday’s Hamilton thoroughbred meeting with a training and riding treble.
The three wins included an exciting dead heat in the Kings Bakery F&M BM58 Handicap, where race favourite, Terracotta, could not be separated at the end of the 1200m sprint from the Jamie Barry-trained Locktoba Rocks.
Locktoba Rocks was ridden by apprentice, Sheridan Clarke.
In an eventful day, the start of the meeting was delayed because of a heavy downpour which resulted in the track being downgraded to a Heavy9.
Late scratchings resulted from the downgrade, but generally the day provided some very good racing.
Smith and Fry kept favourite punters happy with all three winners starting at short odds.
Adding to Terracotta’s $2.10 dead heat, were Money For Old Rope ($2.60) and Andress ($3).
The pair also combined for two placings during the day.
Joe Bowditch combined with Warrnambool trainers, Aaron Purcell and Symon Wilde, for a riding double.
The Purcell trained Mighty Ganges defeated the Darren Kolpin-trained Noble Rocks by the narrowest of margins, before Bowditch then had an armchair ride when scoring by seven lengths on Morning Has Broken for the Wilde team.
Warrnambool trainers had a big day, combining for five winners.
Tom Dabernig produced Finance Choice for the second time since transferring over from the Hayes stable to win again after scoring first-up in a maiden at Warrnambool.
The other winners on the program where smart debut winner, Bigolino, for trainer Patrick Payne, ridden by his nephew Samuel, while Kylie Vella was finally rewarded with a win for Pocket Rox after consistent performances in his other two runs this preparation.
Jack Hill continued his good recent form with a nice front-running ride on the $10 chance.
Miss Cavendish for local trainer, Peter Young, filled a placing behind the dead-heat performers.
Results
Race 1 Bet 365 3YO Maiden Plate 1100m - 1st Pocket Rox (Jack Hill/Kylie Vella) $10; 2nd Edgy Era (Sheridan Clarke/Aaron Purcell) $5.50; 3rd Recap (Jarrod Fry/Lindsey Smith) $6.50.
Race 2 CoggerGurry Chartered Accountants Maiden Plate 1600m - 1st Money For Old Rope (Jarrod Fry/Lindsey Smith) $2.60f; 2nd Thrifty (Harry Grace/Tom Dabernig) $3.40; 3rd Eagles And Pins (Dean Holland/Paul Preusker) $21.
Race 3 Fishers IGA Maiden Plate 1400m - 1st Andress (Jarrod Fry/Lindsey Smith) $3f; 2nd Moxatation (Will Gordon/Nathan Hobson) $3.40; 3rd Gateways (Laura Lafferty/Jane Baker) $6.50.
Race 4 Riddle Constructions Maiden Plate 1200m - 1st Bigolino (Samuel Payne/Patrick Payne) $4.40; 2nd Itchy Powder (Craig Atkinson/Robert Hickmott) $20; 3rd Sword Of War (Jarrod Fry/Lindsey Smith) $2.35f.
Race 5 Kings Bakery F&M BM58 Handicap 1200m - 1st Locktoba Rocks (Sheridan Clarke/Jamie Barry) $5; 1st Terracotta (Jarrod Fry/Lindsey Smith) $2.10f; 3rd Miss Cavendish (Melissa Julius/Peter Young) $8.
Race 6 Grand Central Hotel BM58 Handicap 1100m - 1st Finance Choice (Logan McNeil/Tom Dabernig) $2f; 2nd Sunburnt (Dean Holland/Bill Cerchi) $3.40; 3rd Deforce (Zoe Lloyd/Richard Nicholson) $19.
Race 7 Elders Insurance BM58 Handicap 1400m - 1st Mighty Ganges (Joe Bowditch/Aaron Purcell) $13; 2nd Noble Rocks (Will Gordon/Darren Kolpin) $15; 3rd Orienzel (Logan McNeil/Nathan Hobson) $7.50.
Race 8 Evelyn Peach Memorial BM58 Handicap 1600m - 1st Morning Has Broken (Joe Bowditch/Symon Wilde) $4.20; 2nd Surecan (John Allen/Ciaron Maher & David Eustace) $9; 3rd Shezdelicious (Harry Coffey/Patrick Payne) $9.
