LOCALLY bred gelding Brungle Raider produced a career best performance to secure Peter Balderstone a hometown feature when winning the 2024 bet365 Hamilton Cup on Saturday.
Trained at Ballarat by Henry Dwyer, the $19 outsider was perfectly ridden by Neil Farley.
Settling on the fence behind the leaders, Farley made his move at the 600m mark, before exploding for home and eventually winning by 2.5 lengths.
Farley has a great affinity with the gelding, having ridden him in three of his wins.
Raised on his near-by property by Balderstone, the gelding’s fifth career win was easily his best in the weekend’s $60,000 feature race.
A passionate supporter of racing, especially jump’s racing, Balderstone had previously served on the Hamilton committee for six years.
His association with Dwyer has reaped plenty of success over the years, more recently combining to win the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat with Brungle Bertie.
The Doug Whitworth trained Last Raider also produced a career best when finishing second, Farag for Aaron Purcell back in third position.
Cup favourite, Picaroon trained by Tom Dabernig finished a disappointing sixth.
Local trainers Matt & Louise Cooper sent punters reaching for their racebooks when Somaurum won the Lynton McLeod Memorial 4YO+ Maiden Plate at odds of $101.
Ridden by Irish hoop Eoin Walsh, the 5YO mare was a stylish 1.5 length winner by 1.5 despite her huge odds.
Having always shown some promise, including a previous placing at the track, the mare finally put it altogether to make Cup Day a memorable one for the husband & wife combination.
Icy Pole looks to be the horse to follow from the meeting after an easy debut win in the Midfield Meats 3YO Maiden Plate over 1100m.
The first leg of a riding treble for Linda Meech, the 3yo filly by Frosted jumped to the lead, eventually winning by a widening 2.75 lengths.
Punters didn’t miss the lead-up trial form, backing her into an even money favourite.
Meech also won on The Daily Planet and Settat on a day female riders led the way.
Alana Kelly joined the dominance winning on the Dan O’Sullivan trained Highland Glory, while Jordyn Weatherley saluted on the very consistent Call To Glory for her master Tom Dabernig.
The club should be well pleased with good patronage being supported by very competitive fields on a great racing surface.
Results
Race 1 - Midfield Meats 3YO Maiden Plate 1100m - 1st Icy Pole (Linda Meech / Matthew Williams) $2f: 2nd The Crusader (Alana Kelly / Tom Conlan) $16: 3rd Shaykhlislamova (Jack Hill / Maddie Raymond) $13
Race 2 - Lynton McLeod Memorial 4YO+ Maiden Plate 1100m - 1st Somaurum (Eoin Walsh / Matt & Louise Cooper) $101; 2nd Over Nova (Linda Meech / Andrew Homann) $18;3rd Runchickenrun (Alana Kelly / Paul Koumis) $5.50
Race 3 - Taylor Motors Maiden Plate 1400m - 1st The Daily Planet (Linda Meech / Aaron Purcell) $4;2nd Barbie’sdreamworld (Tom Madden / Peter Chow) $2.70f;3rd Frosty Night (Tayla Childs / Jamie Barry) $15
Race 4 - The Cally Hamilton 0 - 58 Handicap 1400m - 1st Settat (Linda Meech / Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young) $4.80;2nd Mister Businessman (Lester Grace / Matthew Williams) $20; 3rd Olly’s Fortune (Eoin Walsh / Matt Cumani) $21
Race 5 - Walker’s Earthworks 0 - 58 Handicap 2200m - 1st Highland Glory (Alana Kelly / Dan O’Sullivan) $11;2nd Americain Miss (Melissa Julius / Kaye Edwards) $19; 3rd Alpine Rocket (Tom Madden / Andrew Bobbin) $15
Race 6 - ACE Radio BM70 Handicap 1100m - 1st Call To Glory (Jordyn Weatherley / Tom Dabernig) $4.60; 2nd Mawallock (Fred Kersley / Lindsey Smith) $3.10f; 3rd Grassmere Jewel (Tom Madden / Adam Chambers) $8
Race 7 - bet365 Hamilton Cup 2200m - 1st Brungle Raider (Neil Farley / Henry Dwyer) $19; 2nd Last Raider (Christine Puls / Doug Whitworth) $15; 3rd Farag (Jack Hill / Aaron Purcell) $14
Race 8 - Kinvonvie BM70 Handicap 1600m - 1st Magarten (Paul Gatt / Jerome Hunter) $15;2nd Torranzino (Tom Madden / Paul Preusker) $5; 3rd Ruminate (Eoin Walsh / Matt Cumani) $9
