Ridgeport Farm resident Rommel sired a crop-by-crop treble to open Saturday’s Raconteur Stakes meeting at Bunbury and the remaining support races saw Impressive Racing and Oakland Park chime in with winning doubles.

Rommel 2yo Baby Pearl kick-started the card for trainer Colin Webster in the Prince Of Wales Hotel Plate (1000m).  His 3yo filly Desert Whisper followed up in the Donnybrook Glass Hcp (1000m) for Luke Fernie and his 4yo Master Tactician won the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1690m) for Aaron Pateman.

Baby Pearl is a homebred for a Kalgoorlie partnership that includes local trainer Gary Bowen, his son Bradley and daughter Leanne.  Playing God mare Baby Paris is another homebred for the family and she has won 9 races in 23 starts to date while banking $828,000 with Webster.

Baby Pearl started a short-priced favourite and was always in control under stable jockey Troy Turner to defeat short-priced favourite Pure Excess (Exceedance) on Saturday.  “He was comfortable in front and fought on well,” Webster said.  “I think he’s a Christmas horse and we will put him away for the summer carnival.”

The same approach worked with Baby Paris after she finished second in the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) won by Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni) in 2022.  Webster brought her back at three to win the Placid Ark Prelude (1000m) and The Joey (1200m).

Baby Pearl is the first live foal from Pearl Of The Plain (Jet Spur) who won four races in the Goldfields for the Bowens including a KBRC Mayoral Cup (1100m).  She has a filly foal by Ridgeport sire Ducimus and present plans have her going back to Rommel after having this year off.

The are even richer plans afoot for Baby Paris in a new slot-race at this year’s Goldfields Carnival.  She will be set for the inaugural $1 million Golden Saddle (1100m) at the Kalgoorlie Cup meeting on Saturday, October 4.

Rommel (Commands) and Ducimus (Snitzel) both stand for $5,500 (inc GST) service fees at Ridgeport Farm.  For bookings or further information call Marge Ojapold (0497 478 231), Grant Burns (0410 683 470), Steve Hoare (0409 987 970).

Famous Dain (Shamus Award) claimed the first-leg of the Oakland Park double after a stirring duel with Lord Gannicus (Universal Ruler) in the Greenfields Lodge Hcp (1690m).  A homebred for Neville and Susan Duncan, he is one of 11 winners in the past 30 days for Pearce Racing.

Oakland Park also had a hand in En Plein Air (Universal Ruler) winning the Wittens Irrigation Hcp (1200m).  The Belhus Racing mare is a daughter of Our Pie ‘O’ My (So Secret) who was bred and sold as a yearling by Oakland Park.  It’s the family of Oakland Park-bred G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Bustling (Frosted).

Impressive Racing partners Darren McAuliffe and Kevin Berry landed a late double at Bunbury with Chollima (Starspangledbanner) in the Swan Draught Hcp (1400m) and Cool Memory (Impending) in the Nixon Electrical Hcp (1200m).

Cool Memory signed off a winter campaign last year with a front-running victory in the LR Aquanita Stakes (2000m) at Belmont but caught punters off-guard with a $26 first-up win on Saturday.