Local trainer Kristi Evans shed tears of joy last Saturday when seven-year-old Platinum Wolf won his first race in 1136 days, a 1200-metre 0-64 handicap at the Murray Bridge metro meeting. 
Having his first start in almost a year and giving rider Todd Pannell the first leg of a running double, Platinum Wolf came from midfield to score by slightly more than a length.
The seven-year-old grey had only won first up once before, in April 2023, and was starting for the first time since bleeding at Gawler in July last year and copping the mandatory three-month ban. His most recent win had come on May 3, 2023.
It was a mighty training performance by Evans, but clearly didn’t come as a complete surprise, with Platinum Wolf backed late from $26 into $19.
Pannell brought up the second leg of his back-to back double when Enna’s Dream ($5.50) scored from on the pace in a benchmark 76 over 1400 metres for Cranbourne trainer Alex Rae.
Stubby tightens grip
Despite Pannell’s positive day, he faces a herculean task to catch Jason Holder at the top of the SA metro jockeys’ premiership after Holder’s second successive double saw him extend his lead to nine wins with eight meetings remaining in 2025/26.
Holder kicked off with Brimarvi Rosemarie ($12), who came from near last with a strong late run to take the 1100-metre Class 1 for local trainer Sarah Rutten.
Holder’s second winner was Extra Hot ($5.50) in 0-64 grade over 1200 metres for the Morphettville-based husband-and-wife team of Peter and Belinda Blanch.
Pannell now has 32 Adelaide wins for the season, behind Holder (42) and Jacob Opperman (33).
Opperman had one winner at Murray Bridge — Lomax ($3.50 favourite), who came wide after a slow start to win a 1600-metre benchmark 68 for local trainer Paul Carey.
Warren wows ’em
On a good day for the locals, Murray Bridge-based apprentice Alysha Warren shared the honours with Pannell and Holder, opening her account on Sir Now ($2.10 favourite) in a benchmark 84 over 1000 metres for Darryl Hewitt.
Warren completed her double on I Catchem Fox ($7), who backed up off six days to win the 2000-metre benchmark 78 for Telopea Downs trainer Darryl Dodson. 
Drifter does it again
Another local stable to win at the Bridge was that of Daniel Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray, who scored with $1.80 favourite Like A Drifter in the $105,000 Thomas Farms Racing Rewards SA Three-Year-Old Plate. 
A $10,000 purchase at the 2024 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale, the Omaha Beach gelding has now earned $155,810 with four wins (at his last four runs) from seven starts. 
Apprentice Tala Hutchinson said the win topped her success on Excelman in last February’s Port Lincoln Cup as the biggest of her career so far.
Bala brace for Brooke
Another apprentice, Brooke King, was the star at Balaklava last Sunday with a double, winning a 1050-metre benchmark 56 on the John Macmillan-trained Sioux Warrior ($6.50) and in 0-58 grade over 2200 metres on Silver Chaos ($3.40 favourite) for Roslyn Day.
Non-big Wednesday
No midweek meeting was held in SA this week due to Racing SA proactively bringing the Balaklava Wednesday meeting forward to Sunday due to an adverse weather forecast.