Horse Racing

WEBSTER SMILING AFTER PROPERANTES VICTORY

Veteran trainer Colin Webster did not fancy Properantes prospects with 200m to go in the Jamie’s Italian Perth Handicap (1600m).

However, with apprentice Jordan Turner riding hard, and with the advantage of a 3kg weight claim, it was enough to help the three year old gelding to victory, wearing down Tiger Red (Brad Parnham) in the concluding stages.

Webster conceded that Tiger Red met Properantes on far worse weight terms than when the former horse had convincingly won on April 4.

In addition it was a case, this time, of father being replaced by son. Troy Turner elected to ride Webster’s other runner Liberty Rise (sixth) and his son took over on Properantes.

“He has a really good future and will go over more ground probably 1800-2000m,” Webster said.

Webster who was the master to both of the Turners said the son was really coming of age of age as a rider in the last seven months.

Tiger Red’s defeat prevented a winning hat-trick and also a back to back racing double for Shane Quilty who had won the previous race, the Cater Care Care Handicap (1500m) with Infathuated ( Alan Kennedy).

Infathuated, second early, worked to the lead on the turn and held off the field to score by half a length from King of Wu (Jake Casey) who worked home nicely and in process edged out Long Overdue (Shaun O’Donnell) for second place.

“Infathuated  is a lovely big raw horse who hasn’t put it all together yet. In the small field we were always going to go forward early,” Quilty said.

Part owner Ben Duncan said it was satisfying to have a mare from his father’s stud,  Paris Heart, as the dam of this winner and also half sister to a galloper that Quilty used to ride in his jockey days.

Apprentice Jerry Noske continues to impress. Given the Trainers Association Encouragement Award for March, Noske has continued in good form this month, winning on Zester, yesterday.

Although out of the winners circle for 1071 days, Zester, a consistent placegetter, just nailed Temporise (Joseph Azzopardi), on the post, in the Peter Kerr’s 40^th Birthday Handicap (1400m).

Once again Noske, was seen ‘doing a Pike,’ in pushing  her horse’s head down on the line, something she also successfully did a week ago  aboard Surpark, beating ‘the Wizard’ on Roman Knows by a nose.

Senior jockey Peter Knuckey completed a double at the meeting with Steel Spur and First Among Equals, the latter in the City of Belmont Community Cup (1000m).

Pat Carbery also rode a double, bookending the meeting with Glitterbell and the brilliant Sheidel.