Highlight of the Kilmore Racing Club’s final turf meeting of the season at bet365 Park Kilmore last Thursday was leading Victorian jockey Linda Meech’s four winners on the card.
Her third winner, the Ciaron Maher-trained Grand Crown ($2.25 favourite), was her 100th winner for the season.
Meech nearly made it another five winners when she was beaten a short-half-head in the last race aboard the Colin Scott-trained Fabulonh ($7). 
She was also narrowly beaten into second place in the third race aboard Red Devil ($4 favourite). 
Her longest-priced winner for the day was in the first race, the bet365 Maiden Plate (1450m) aboard the Maher-trained Encanto starting at $18.
Meech’s fourth winner was the Kyneton filly Salty Kisses ($3.20 favourite). 
The George Osborne-trained three-year-old daughter of Duporth and Maktima was a comfortable winner of the Carlton Draught BM58 Handicap (1100m).
The filly defeated Zamperini ($5.50) by 1¼ lengths, with the Kilmore-trained Full Reward ($8.50) dead-heating with Divine Red ($4.20) for third.
Meech said after the race that the filly had been knocking on the door.
“She’s been running terrific races and finally found a little 1100 (-metre race) she’s been crying out for as she’s been hitting flat spots in her races and found the line today.
“She’s only very small but she might get the six furlongs (1200m) now, as she’s relaxing and she’s really mentally matured.
“She was a bit ratty behind the gates and she’s worked that out. she’s turned into a nice little racehorse.”
Osborne, who was unable to witness the win as he was busy at the Ballarat jumpouts, is part-owner of the filly along with a number of stable clients.
The ultra-consistent Salty Kisses now has two wins and two seconds from six races.
Hoofnote: Meech also rode three winners at Mildura on Monday, giving her 10 winners from her past 24 rides. 

Flaming beauty
Kyneton trainer Sue Naylor bounced back from an early disappointment with a thrilling win on the Geelong synthetic track on Tuesday.
After going down by a short half-head with Messika ($5.50) in the opening race, Naylor scored by a similar margin with Flaming Bel ($26).
Ridden by Declan Bates, the home-bred four-year-old Bel Esprit gelding defied the pattern of the day by coming from the rear of the field to take out the Elephant & Castle Hotel BM64 Handicap (1100m).
Flaming Bel, racing for the first time since December last year, got up in a blanket finish to defeat $3.60 favourite Our Luca.
“I’ve been really happy with the way he’s going. He jumped out the other day really well,” Naylor said after the race.
Flaming Bel has now won three races with a minor placing from his 12 starts.
Zephyr takes off
The application of blinkers by Naylor’s fellow Kyneton trainer Dean Krongold helped Dan Zephyr ($5.50) lead all the way earlier on the Geelong program.
Ridden by regular hoop Rhys McLeod, the Danbird seven-year-old gelding ran the small field off their legs in taking out the $30,000 Jack Rabbit Vineyard BM78 Handicap (1300m).
The gelding defeated Jealous Rumour ($4.80) by 4½ lengths with $1.65 favourite Wall Street Wolf, a further 1¼ lengths away.
A thrilled Krongold was full of praise for the gelding’s owners.
“Full credit to the connections. They’ve entrusted me with this horse and he obviously has ability. I’ve been happy with him all prep but he hasn’t really delivered in other races.
“Credit to Rhys too as he’s done a lot of work with this horse.
“He has an affinity with him and rode him perfectly in front. He travelled genuinely with blinkers on first time,” he said.
Previously in the hands of Pat Carey, for whom the gelding won back-to-back city races, Dan Zephyr has now won eight races with nine minor placings from his 45 starts, accumulating $402,700 in prizemoney.