The Peter Morgan-trained Sam’s Image seems to have the wood on boom galloper Nature Strip.
Sam’s Image, a gelded son of All American and Illusionist ridden by Luke Nolen, claimed the lead early and was never headed in taking out the $250,000 Yulong Park VOBIS Gold Dash (1100m) for three-year-olds.
The gelding defeated Nature Strip by a half-length with Vainstream a further length away third.
Sam’s Image had beaten Nature Strip at the Valley last Cox Plate eve, and remains the only horse to have conquered the Nicconi gelding in that horse’s six-start career.
Punters were sceptical that Sam’s Image could do it again last Saturday, as indicated by their respective prices — $61 and $1.65 favourite.
Even Morgan only said he was “half-confident” of running a place.
“He worked well through the week,” he said, adding that Sam’s Image had suffered from back problems. “We’ve got him back — whether we keep him there, I’m not sure.
“He’s got a bit older and a little bit stronger. We’ve done a fair bit of work on the water walker and that sort of stuff.
“It’s special for (owners) Bruce Mathieson and Rick Smith. They bred the horse and when you get beat a couple of times they get foul on me, but I’ve turned the tables today.”
The win was a pick-me-up for Morgan, who hasn’t enjoyed the best of health of late.
“They’ve taken about a foot out of my bowel (but) I’m still living,” he said.
Sam’s Image has now won three races with three minor placings from 11 starts. He has earned $258,600 including $71,800 in VOBIS bonuses. 
Penny KOs punters
Kyneton trainer Mick Sell sent punters home in a sour mood after the last at Sportsbet-Ballarat on Sunday after his underrated galloper Penny to Sell got up at $31.
Unplaced at her first two starts this preparation, the New Zealand-bred six-year-old Pentire mare came from the rear of the field, storming down the outside to take out the $30,000 Hygain Winner’s Choice BM78 Handicap (1600m).
Giving Craig Robertson the second leg of a riding double, the mare defeated Trenchant ($9) by 1½ lengths with Pufnstuf ($14) third.
“Obviously it wasn’t a bad field today,” Sell said. “He’s done a big job and it was a credit to Craig, a great ride . . . and he did say she’d win next start over a mile and so he was spot on.”
Sell said the mare loves Ballarat as she has had four starts on the track for three wins and a second placing.
The in-form trainer will aim her for country cups later this prep. The mare ran a creditable fifth placing in last year’s Kyneton Cup.
Penny to Sell has now won seven races with nine minor placings from 44 starts, collecting $150,626 in prizemoney.
Balcazar strikes again
The Lee and Shannon Hope-trained Balcazar is in a rich vein of form this preparation.
Well backed into $2.60 favouritism, the four-year-old gelded son of Sebring and Madame Medusa was an impressive winner at Pakenham’s Racing.com Park last Thursday.
Ridden by Craig Williams, the gelding took out the $30,000 Meluca Group BM70 Handicap (1600m), defeating $3.30 second elect My Paisann by a length with Hardington ($15) a further 1¼ lengths away third.
Balcazar now has two wins, a third and a close-up sixth in Flemington’s Grand Handicap Mile from his past four starts.
“He’s starting to learn his craft and he’s being left alone by his owners, enabling us to place him properly,” co-trainer Shannon Hope said. “And he was very well ridden.”
Balcazar is raced by a number of stable clients headed by long-time owner Greg Turner.
The mare has now won three races with two minor placings from 12 starts, collecting $76,600 in prizemoney.
Luck change for Capatas
Hope Racing was back in the winner’s stall at Echuca on Monday.
Capatas ($2 favourite), a four-year-old Al Maher gelding beaten by a nose at his previous two outings, was most impressive in taking out the Sue Luck Tribute Maiden Plate (2100m).
Ridden by apprentice Ben Allen, the gelding defeated the Luke Oliver-trained Jeparit ($11) by three-quarters of a length with $21 pop Bocain a further 2¾ lengths away third.
Capatas gave Shannon Hope a scare prior to the running when the gelding was unsaddled behind the starting stalls. 
Allen noticed the girth strap had broken on the way to the barriers and stewards allowed him to return to the jockeys’ room for a replacement.
Hope, who saddled up and strapped the gelding, was appreciative of the stewards for letting Capatas run as normally he would have been scratched.
“Ben rode him really well and finally got the win on the board,” he said.
Capatas is raced by co-trainer Lee’s sister Sherry Hope and her long-time partner Peter Neuhuber. The gelding had three seconds from eight starts prior to Monday’s win.
The race was named in honour of Sue Luck, a former hobby trainer and popular district clerk of scales for many years who died last week after a short illness.
As a mark of respect, jockeys wore black armbands, with a minute’s silence observed in the mounting yard prior to the race. 
Well done, Quinnie
Congrats to this writer’s former trainer Quinnie Scott on being appointed ambassador for next week’s Warrnambool Carnival.
Scott is an ideal representative for the carnival, which he never misses supporting. 
His Brierly/Grand Annual double in 1984 with Royal Affair, raced in partnership by Tatura’s O’Toole family, was most memorable.
I for one can’t wait for what some call Schoolies week for the over-50s.