By Name And By Nature – WA’s Spring Gift Goes To The Legend.
It may have been the omen tip the night for trainer John Carmody, as veteran sprinter Spring Legend landed the $12,000 W.A Sprint Gift final. With Pedrosa still sidelined, it didn't detract from the quality of the field with all the fancied hopes winning heats the previous weekend.
It would be Rock Pool and Rousay who would battle for favouritism for the final, with the former eventually being sent around at $2.30 popular pick. The other two heat winners were Oliver Allen ($12.30) and of course, Spring Legend, who eventually paid $7.70 on the local TAB.
While Spring Legend began fast and lead all the way, some commission from the $12,000 winners' cheque should go to stayer, Barney Stinson, who made a beeline for the rail and flattened half the field before the post the first time around. This allowed Spring Legend to enjoy a saloon passage across the field and to safe territory heading into the first bend.
It was not smooth sailing all the way home though, as a determined run from the John Iwanyk trained Kid Cudi kept everyone guessing until the last few bounds. The eventual winning margin of Spring Legend was only half a length, and the time was a modest 30.54, but doesn't detract from the performance of this top-line sprinter.
This latest feature race victory once again proves how handy the son of Collision and Total Fancy has been over the years.
Starting his career in the modest settings of Coonamble and Bathurst, Spring Legend took to racing immediately and became a winner at his first start, before going onto record three wins in the first ten.
It was after thirteen starts that Spring Legend made the long trip to Western Australia, but it took no toll on his ability, as he raced through the lower grades. With seven wins in his next eleven starts, he was quickly competing at Free-For-All level and has remained there ever since.
Since that maiden victory in October 2009, Spring Legend has collected $75,000 in prize money courtesy of 19 wins and 16 placings.
Another veteran of the W.A Racing scene is Pickle Mickle, who has returned back home to record another victory over the 715m, with a typical strong performance on Saturday night in 42.08.
Far from disgraced in the National Distance Final, Pickle Mickle is racing in terrific form, and shows no signs of slowing despite being a March 2007 whelping.
The Flying Penske –Classy Creek litter has produced prolific winners all over the country, and Linda Britton has done a great job of keeping her member of the litter going strong for the best part of 18 months.