Esperance visitor Crunchy Nut overcame traffic problems in transit to snatch a narrow victory in the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1600m) for trainer Helen Harding on Saturday.
The Alwyn Park graduate would have been a good thing beaten but for a resilient ride by Tash Faithful as per the stewards report: “Crunchy Nut pulled hard through the early stages and was restrained when improving onto heels passing the 1400m and continued to over-race through the middle stages.”
The Ducimus gelding angled for an outside run into the straight but was bumped back to the fence by his older half-brother Corn Cob (Awesome Rock) forcing Faithful to navigate a split between the leaders before holding out late closer Precious God (Playing God).
“We’ve had to ride him back because of bad barriers but he drew a good gate today and I told Tash to ride him midfield,” Harding said. “He’s a good horse chasing and has been racing well without winning.”
Crunchy Nut (5g Ducimus – Corn Flakes by Oratorio) was sold by Alwyn Park, as agent for De Grey Park, at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions Winter Yearling Sale and won a Northam 3yo Maiden for Ryan Hill before transferring to the Bay Of Isles.
“He grabbed the bridle and made it a hard ride but it’s great to get one in town for Helen,” Faithful said. “I had a lap full of horse on the corner and tried to shift out but had to go back to the inside and he did a brilliant job with that turn of foot.”
Crunchy Nut is a close relation of Sweet Corn (G3 VRC Matriarch Stakes), Corn Maizcay (LR Perth Stakes) and Baby Corn (LR SAJC Cinderella Stakes) and his dam’s latest foal at Alwyn Park is another son Ridgeport Farm sire Ducimus.
Saturday’s slender Ascot win was overdue for Alwyn Park owner John Andrew who has just missed out in black-type races with resident sire Maschino this month.
He’s a Machino was runner-up in the LR Perth Stakes on Saturday as was Smooth Chino in the G3 Roma Cup. Bonjoy finished third in the LR Old Comrade Stakes on Friday while Poppy’s Roses and Masmelo were second and fourth home respectively in the G3 WA Oaks on Wednesday.
The tide can turn at this Saturday with He’s A Maschino nominated for the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) at Ascot and Machine Gun Gracie who has firmed from $20 into $13 for the G1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick.