Mid-week Racing 

CASEY DELIVERS ON A GHOSTLY GREY

In a day dominated by some of the big names of racing it was the baby-faced apprentice, Jake Casey, who delivered the ride-of- the- day for trainer Neville Parnham, at Belmont, on July 22.

Aboard Military Service, Casey gave the ghostly grey every chance, followed Parnhams instructions to the letter to be “off the main speed and off the fence.” From midfield, in the 2200m race, he powered home to win going away with daylight between him and runner-up, Our Mate Al (Jason Whiting), on the post.

It was Military Service’s fourth win from 28 starts.

“He hasn’t had a lot of luck in recent starts and has been caught up in traffic but Jake presented him nicely for his run from the 250m mark.”

Indeed Casey did just that, easing out for a clear passage at the top of the straight and that is where he thought he had it won. “He let down nicely and gave me a good ride home,” the apprentice said.

The day got better for the veteran trainer, who will be runner-up to Adam Durrant in the trainers premiership for 2014/15, when Phantom Choice (Natasha Faithfull) gave Parnham another one and half length victory, this time in the eighth race, the Channel 9 Handicap (1400m). She Rules All (Jordan Turner) was second while Casey finished third on another Parnham galloper, Star Bay. Casey also finished third , for Parnham on Vonus behind Profit Street ( William Pike), in the seventh race.

Pike had a brilliant day, giving everyone a reminder of why he is romping home with the senior rider premiership, despite having just resumed riding, after a three month lay-off from injury.

Profit Street is trained by Matt and Peter Giadresco but earlier in the day Pike was successful for trainer Grant Williams with Universal Law and Galaxy Son, respectively.

In the familiar cerise and white colours of owners Bob and Sandra Peters, watching Pike is reminiscent of waiting for a white pointer to pounce on a school of fish-there is an air of inevitability about the process.

Yet, in the first race it was really only in the last 100m of the race that debutante, Universal Law, looked like winning. He certainly did not look a winner on the turn but, being a half brother to the classy filly Delicacy, his finishing touch may be a sign of things to come.

He was too strong for Détente and Sporting Image over the concluding stages.

Peters confirmed the two year old would be going out for a spell after his only race this campaign.

As for Galaxy Son, he appreciated coming back to 1700m after running fourth, over 2200m last start, behind Tuscan Reign, on July 8. Having won over 1600m, at Northam, before that the connections have learned the lesson on distance.

Galaxy Son only just nailed Street Bandit (Lucy Warwick) and both came from near the rear with a sustained burst.

Street Bandit has now run 12 seconds for the Oz Racing syndicate (plus nine thirds) but remains winless. It remains a challenge for trainer Neville Parnham to get this horse to believe he can win.

Trainer Paul Jordan has been winning trials galore but winning races has eluded him since Coruscation’s win on April 11.

However, apprentice Jordan Turner gave the experienced trainer a win in the last race with the aptly named, Believe You Can, in the Christmas in July Handicap (1300m).

Turner prevented a fourth Pike victory with the champion rider, on Boy Byrnes, beaten into second position by short neck.

The old adage about no show without Punch holds good with the Noske siblings: Jarrad and Jerry.

In recent weeks Jerry has ridden an early winner  and then her older brother Jarrad responds, often winning the main race as he did with Fuchsia Bandana in the Hyperion and Strickland Stakes.

The pair were at it again, at this mid-week Belmont meeting, with Forbidden Planet, trained by Ben Pearce and the Alan Mathews trained Nullaki providing the backdrop for sibling rivalry continuing.

Jerry won a ‘squeaker’ on Forbidden Planet, after seemingly looking doomed in the last 150m against Krypto Kid (Kate Fitzgerald). However the latter just peaked on the run and Noske’s mount, on the inside, fought back to score narrowly.

Jarrad’s margin –a half length, was a little more comfortable.

Joe Azzopardi, a certain runner-up to Lucy Warwick in the apprentices premiership, gave his backers an easy winner on the day, aboard Simon Miller’s  Bache, with the hapless Kate Fitzgerald again playing second fiddle on Dexterous Lad, in consecutive races.