Sniper's Bullet Does The Double
- Saturday, 05 December 2009 13:20
Top class Mudgee trained galloper Sniper’s Bullet has etched his name in Perth Racing history, with a comprehensive triumph in the $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Sniper’s Bullet became the first horse since Modem in 2004, to take out the Railway Stakes/Kingston Town Classic double in the same year.
Champion rider Damien Oliver was at his tactical best, riding Sniper’s Bullet like the best horse in the race, trailing a breakneck speed set by Danny Miller on Dante’s Banquet, before stealing a march on the swing and powering to Group 1 glory.
The wide barrier draw proved no obstacle with Oliver biding his time in cruising across to trail the speed and similar to the Railway Stakes tactics, proved too classy for his opposition in the run to the judge.
Former gifted jockey Tracey Bartley learnt a lot from his visit to Perth last year with his stable ace, who was desperately unlucky when second to Gilded Venom in the Railway and placed behind high class pair Niconero and Gilded Venom in last year’s edition of the Kingston Town Classic.
Bartley knew he had the horse in Sniper’s Bullet to climb the Group 1 mountain again, however he had to wait more than two years as the old saying goes ‘when it rains it pours’.
For Oliver a hometown hero, he can now add the Kingston Town Classic to his growing Group 1 cabinet’s at home.
Three-year-old God Has Spoken ran out of his skin to finish second, on the back-up from an Aquanita Stakes win last week, giving his all and holding off the strong finish of seasoned performer Scenic Shot in third place.
Leading trainer Neville Parnham now has to make a decision whether to back God Has Spoken up in the $100,000 Listed Seacorp St.Leger (2100m) next Saturday, a race he would start a short priced favourite in and be extremely hard to beat.
The favourite Scenic Shot never stops trying and despite being run off his feet throughout, worked to the line strongly, and the $250,000 Group 2 Landscape Development CB Cox Stakes (2100m) in a fortnight looks at his mercy.
Outside the placing’s WA Oaks winner Cassandara Shadow (4th) and classy staying mare Star Encounter (7th) both ran well in their preparations for the BMW Perth Cup on New Years Day.
“All credit to the horse, the horse has done so well over in Perth," winning trainer Tracey Bartley said.
“It’s wonderful! It is unfortunate for Nash (Rawiller) who missed out on the ride but all credit to Tracey who has prepared the horse to the minute," winning rider Damien Oliver said.
Picture - Perth Racing