Putting his charges through their paces on the sand at his Wellington property has paid dividends this season for Michael Hickmott, who is enjoying his best year since taking the Adelaide trainers’ premiership in 2020/21.
A double on the Parks track at Morphettville last Saturday took Hickmott to 30 SA metro winners for the season, his second-best tally behind the 40 he trained in 2020/21. He is third on the 2024/25 table, nine wins behind leader Phillip Stokes and half a win behind second-placed Richard and Chantelle Jolly. 
Hickmott opened his account when the New Zealand-bred last-start Parks winner Synchro ($2.50 favourite) led all the way under Todd Pannell in the Class 2 over 1400 metres.
The four-year-old Niagara gelding has impressed winning by 2½ lengths and 3¼ lengths at his past two starts, taking his overall record to three from six.
Hickmott completed his double when former Victorian Cruz Missile ($10) came from one off the pace to win the benchmark 76 over 1550 metres, giving apprentice Caitlin Tootell her first Morphettville winner. 
Dual joy for Jess
Jessica Tzaferis rode her first city double since January when she snagged races two and three at the Parks meeting. 
The dual licence-holder brought up her first winner when last-start winner Grand Host ($8.50) ran on from worse than midfield to win a benchmark 68 over 1000 metres for Murray Bridge trainer Matthew Seyers. 
Tzaferis completed her double on High Society Girl ($9) for Stephen Theodore in a benchmark 78 over 2400 metres.
Two steps forward, one step back
Taylor Johnstone continues to snap at the heels of fellow apprentice Rochelle Milnes on the Adelaide jockeys’ premiership after a double at the Parks meeting. 
Johnstone won the first, a 1250-metre maiden, for Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle on Mystic Wonder ($4.40).
Riding for Richard and Chantelle Jolly, Johnstone completed her double when last-start winner Grand Maximus ($3.70) came from near last to take the benchmark 76 over the same trip. 
Milnes re-established a three-win buffer at the top of the table when she won the last, a 1400-metre benchmark 68, on Tosen Water ($8), for the Gawler stable Gary and Nichole Searle and their daughter Brianna Callanan.
Long weekend winners
Sairyn Fawke took the points at Port Augusta on Sunday with a double, winning on the Travis Doudle-trained Star Casino ($3.40) in a 1498-metre maiden and the Garret Lynch-trained Mohite ($3.90) in a benchmark 62 over 1200 metres.
Travis Doudle went on to take the training honours at Gawler on Monday with a double. His winners were Moana’s Fortune ($3.10) in a 2100-metre maiden and Showrunner ($4.60) in the benchmark 58 Barossa Cup (1700m). Rochelle Milnes and Jacob Opperman were the riders.
Lachlan Neindorf had a riding double, winning on the Peter and Belinda Blanch-trained Garcon Renard ($2.90 favourite) in a 1500-metre maiden and the Luke O’Connor-trained Sir Lord ($11) in a benchmark 56 over 1500 metres.
He’ll be missed
On behalf of the SA racing community I’d like to pass on our deepest sympathy to the Laing family on the passing of trainer Robbie Laing. 
Weatherly’s Wednesday
Western District apprentice Jordyn Weatherley took the honours with a double at Mount Gambier on Wednesday, winning a 2065-metre maiden for Warrnambool trainer Peter Lafferty on Baltic Way ($2.80 favourite) and a 1211-metre rating 56 on Loose Lip Lloyd ($5.50) for local trainer Belinda O’Loughlin.