Fiancés Siggy Carr and Troy Baker took the riding honours at Devonport last Sunday with a brace of wins apiece.
Carr was first on the board, taking the first division of the two- and three-year-old maiden plate over 1150 metres aboard debutante Golden Meadow.
The Wordsmith filly, who’d won at both trial appearances at Hobart, settled better than midfield and finished off strongly to score by three-quarters of a length.
Carr completed her double on the Yassy Nishitani-prepared Hot Relation, who finished off hard from midfield to take the Class 3 handicap over 1350 metres.
The former John Keys representative is unbeaten from two tries for the new yard and can continue to progress through the grades this time in.
Baker’s first victory also came on a debutante, the Adam Trinder-trained Red Sphere, who led and just found enough to scrape home in the second division of the two- and three-year-old maiden plate.
The gelded son of Stratosphere was well found by punters, firming from $5 to start the $3.70 favourite.
Baker completed his double on John Blacker’s consistent performer Alpine Blast, who enjoyed a gun trail just off the pace before scoring comfortably in the benchmark 60 handicap over 1650 metres.
Local trainer Leanne Gaffney prepared her second successive double at her home circuit, with the same two gallopers — Cornelian Bay and Duncannon.
Cornelian Bay looked unlikely to run a place midway down the home straight in the benchmark 64 handicap over 1150 metres but let down strongly late under Bulent Muhcu to arrive right on the line.
The lightly raced three-year-old now has four wins from seven starts. He is bred to be good, being out of former top local mare Rebel Bride, who’s also thrown rising star Rebel Factor.
Gaffney’s other victory was never in doubt, with Duncannon crossing from the outside alley and leading throughout under David Pires in the Class 1 handicap over 1350 metres.
Both of Gaffney’s runners were partnered by Brendon McCoull at the previous Devonport meeting but he had to forgo the mounts last weekend due to partnering Imogen Miller’s promising three-ear-old Alvarinho at Sandown.
That horse was gallant in defeat after racing wide without cover in the Ladbrokes Racing Club Handicap over 1400 metres.