The formidale combination of Don Dwyer and Shaun Cooper dominated last Saturday’s Alexandra meeting, teaming up to win half of the card.
Dwyer extended his lead on the training premiership to eight over Troy Kilgower as he brought up winners 15, 16 and 17 on a big day out.
Cooper, meanwhile, made up for missing last year’s corresponding meeting by steering all three winners, including two that were successful 12 months earlier.
Both Dishy’s (ridden by Tim Grace) and Aladdin Sane (Grant Seccombe) won at Alexandra in 2020 and were back to salute the judge again as they took out the opening two races on this year’s program.
Five-year-old Duporth gelding Dishy’s ($3.50) scored narrowly for his first win in 12 months, improving off minor placings at recent Yea and Helaesville meetings.
Seven-year-old Spinning World gelding Aladdin Sane ($2.60) brought up his third win for the season with a tough one-length victory lumping 71kg, 8kg more than the runner-up.
Dwyer and Cooper completed their treble when a newcomer to Dwyer’s stable broke his maiden status.
Seven-year-old Redente gelding Runaway Max ($1.95 favourite) was well backed to land the cash at his first run for the stable and 13th of his career.
Fought on fire
Dissident mare I Fought The Law ($1.90f) made it two wins in a week and three in four runs with a narrow victory in race four.
Trained at Kilmore by Annie Goble, the four-year-old backed up without fuss from her Yea success on the Sunday prior and provided Caitlin King with her 14th winner for 2020/21, a tally that sees her third on the premiership.
Goble bought I Fought The Law for $3500 at the Inglis Melbourne Great Southern bloodstock sale in 2018. She is out of the winning Flying Spur mare Prairy Kat, a sister to Group 2 Todman Stakes winner Krupt and three-quarter sister to listed Talindert Stakes winner Anevay.
With $7145 banked in seven starts and more to come, be it at the picnics or even by pinching a TAB race, I Fought The Law has a future as a broodmare with that pedigree.
Riohsei rough but ready
Troy Kilgower trained three seconds at Alexandra on Saturday, but got some reward when he landed something of a surprise quinella in race three.
His seven-year-old Ready’s Image mare Riohsei ($13) narrowly edged out nine-year-old All American gelding Normandy Lad ($18) as the outsiders of the field came clear of their rivals.
Riohsei, ridden by Grant Seccombe, brought up win six at start 42 after finishing last of four at Yea and last of nine at Woolamai at his most recent runs.
Normandy Lad had been battling for form since resuming from a long spell at Balnarring on Australia Day, but got in with a light weight after Joanne Geddes claimed down to 61kg.  
Dream start
The final race at Alexandra last Saturday provided a memorable result which saw apprentice Tyson Barton land his first winner at his very first ride.
Barton partnered the Jody Thompson-trained Go Ferrando ($2.40 favourite) to victory by a quarter of a length from Dynamic Moss.
Go Ferrando, a six-year-old by Teofilo, won in 0-58 grade at Moe over 2400 metres last June and another TAB meeting win could be on the cards after he appreciated the step up in distance third up to score over 1830 metres.
There’s a double-header of picnic action this weekend with the Hinnomunjie Cup (2000m) for the Omeo & District Racing Club up for grabs on Saturday followed by a six-race card at Balnarring on Sunday.