FRANKENSTAR gained maximum points in the first heat of the Adam Lindsay Gordon jumps series with a strong hurdle win at Hamilton on Thursday.
Trained by Kathryn Durden, the seven-year-old held off topweight, Fabalot, to gain the top allotted five points in the four-race series.
Starting a $4 chance, Tom Ryan provided the perfect on-speed ride to give the consistent gelding a well-deserved victory on a deteriorating track.
Race favourite, Abreed, finished a well-beaten third, but did gain one point in the series, while Fabalot took home three points.
The series now heads to Casterton on June 30, followed by Coleraine on August 11, before the final race at Ballarat on August 25.
Champion hurdler, Wil John, made the transition to the bigger fences with a stylish nine-length win in the Hammonds Paints Steeplechase over 3400m.
The Ciaron Maher-trained jumper was allowed to travel to the lead at the 800m mark by Willie McCarthy, and despite some opposition from race favourite, The Mighty Spar, when approaching the home turn, the eight-year-old found another gear to win easily.
The ease of the victory now opens the doors for the former Grand National Hurdle winner to tackle much bigger targets as the season unfolds.
The Maiden Hurdles were won by Prismatic and Maatsuyker to give Aaron Kuru a riding double.
Delightful Scoop, trained by Trudy Cottier, pleased once again, finishing second behind Maatsuyker.
Carnamah provided an upset in the Ecycle Solutions Steeplechase when holding out odds-on favourite, Duke Of Bedford, to win by one length.
On the flat, doubles were recorded by jockey, Tayla Childs, and trainer, Lindsey Smith.
Consistent rain fell during the meeting where the track rating was downgraded four times to an eventual Heavy 10 by race seven.
Results
Race 1 Eric Musgrove Racing Maiden Hurdle 3200m - 1st Prismatic (Aaron Kuru/Mark Walker) $1.80f; 2nd Irish Butterfly (William McCarthy/Henry Dwyer) $2.40; 3rd Outrival (Braidon Small/Quinton Scott) $31.
Race 2 Ecycle Solutions Maiden Hurdle 3200m - 1st Maatsuyker (Aaron Kuru/Tom Dabernig) $1.75f; 2nd Delightful Scoop (Chris McCarthy/Trudy Cottier) $26; 3rd Buoyant (Braidon Small/Simon Ryan) $13.
Race 3 The Bullock Family Adam Lindsay Gordon Hurdle 3200m - 1st Frankenstar (Tom Ryan/Kathryn Durden) $4; 2nd Fabalot (Aaron Kuru/Symon Wilde) $4.80; 3rd Abreed (Will Gordon/Andrew Noblet) $2.20f.
Race 4 Hammonds Paints Steeplechase 3400m - 1st Wil John (William McCarthy/Ciaron Maher) $2.50; 2nd The Mighty Spar (Aaron Kuru/Mark Walker) $2.35f; 3rd That’s Incranibull (Chris McCarthy/Patrick Payne) $7.
Race 5 Ecycle Solutions Steeplechase 3400m - 1st Carnamah (Arron Lynch/Rachael Cunningham) $6; 2nd Duke Of Bedford (Tom Ryan/Andrew Bobbin) $1.65f; 3rd Tolemac (Will Gordon/Symon Wilde) $4.80.
Race 6 Wheelie Waste Handicap 1600m - 1st Irish Rockstar (Tayla Childs/Lindsey Smith) $3f; 2nd Parvati Party (Dean Yendall/Matthew Williams) $6.50; 3rd Duhlata (Linda Meech/Adam Chambers) $3.70.
Race 7 Claremont Thoroughbreds Maiden Plate 1200m - 1st Bus Stop Betty (Melissa Julius/Daniel Bowman) $13; 2nd Swanny Dee (Tom Madden/Lindsey Smith) $1.60f; 3rd Ms Hubble (Neil Farley/Henry Dwyer) $11.
Race 8 Bet365 Handicap 1400m - 1st Stylish Enuff (Tayla Childs/Aaron Purcell) $5.50; 2nd Under The Palais (Linda Meech/Symon Wilde) $2.15f; 3rd Raymond’s Reward (Dean Yendall/Matthew Williams) $4.60.
Race 9 Gus MacGillivray Carpenter Handicap 1100m - 1st Power Missile (Fred Kersley/Lindsey Smith) $13; 2nd A Good Yarn (Tom Madden/Mervyn McKenzie) $19; 3rd Sasqualah (Linda Meech/Symon Wilde) $3f.
