Hat-trick heroine Leovanni confirmed her transformation from “complete disaster” to winning machine with a decisive victory at Randwick last Saturday in the Class 3 TAB Highway Plate (1800m).
Leovanni ($7) showed plenty of determination in recording a three-quarter-length win over Maples, with well backed favourite Moon Sweeper a close-up third. 
The rising five-year-old mare has now recorded three wins and eight placings from her 14 starts but it hasn’t all been easy. 
“At one stage she was a complete disaster,” said Scone-based trainer Cameron Crockett after the race. 
Recalling her first start for his stable, in a 1200-metre Tamworth maiden where she finished second, Crockett said: “I thought she’d win that day but she stood in the gates, missed it five lengths then rattled home and only got beat a length. 
“She got sent back to the trials and never jumped at her next two, didn’t pass (stewards’ requirements), and it was getting worse, not better.” 
Fortunately for her connections, the Proisir mare overcame her issues and has now won three on the bounce, once at Tamworth and twice at Randwick. 
Alysha Collett has been in the saddle for both those Randwick Highway wins. 
“As soon as Alysha got up outside the leader, I was worried she’d overrrace,” Crockett said. “But when she relaxed and half switched off I thought, ‘She won’t let anything past her,’ because I know how tough she is.”
Before joining Crockett, Leovanni had six starts with Annabel and Rob Archibald, for two seconds, two thirds, a fourth and a fifth.
Satono swoops
Another out-of-towner to extend a winning streak at Randwick was arguably even more impressive — Satono Jasmine.
Trained at Hawkesbury by Brad Widdup, Satono Jasmine started $3.80 favourite in the 1800-metre benchmark 78 and finished strongly under Chad Schofield to win drawing away by a length from second favourite Horizons. 
It was the Satono Aladdin filly’s fourth straight win, following successes at Gosford, Hawkesbury and Warwick Farm.
“It was a great effort today,” Widdup said. “Chad must have been pretty confident. He was getting pushed back a bit but he sat tight and she was too good late.”
Satono Jasmine, who has those four wins and a third from eight starts, will now be sent for a spell.
Hawker holds on
The other provincial-trained winner at Randwick was Hawker Hall in the 1100-metre benchmark 88.
With James McDonald in the saddle for Newcastle’s Kris Lees, Hawker Hall ($6.50) went straight to the front and had enough left to hold off the late charge of lstolea Merc by a neck. 
“It was a really good return,” said Lees. 
“He didn’t really get it easy out there. James just kept him in a comfortable rhythm with one sticking up on the inside of him. 
“He just had to keep him balanced, which he did, and he put them away at the top of the straight. 
“He was probably on empty in that last 50 metres, which is understandable given he was first up. 
“He’s been a work in progress but he’s going the right way. I thought he had a fair bit of improvement to come out of this today so it was a fairly good effort. 
“We like to space his runs but there are some nice races coming up for him over the spring worth looking at.”
Bookies battered
Punters were on the ball at Muswellbrook last Sunday when six favourites and a second favourite saluted on the seven-race card.
One of the successful popular picks was Hellbent mare Hellcibell ($3.20) in the feature Bengalla Cup (1280m), ridden by Mitchell Bell for Scone’s Brett and Georgie Cavanough.
That completed a double for Bell while Aaron Bullock took riding honours with a treble. 
His mount in the 1500-metre benchmark 66, the Paul Messara/Leah Gavranich-trained $1.16 pop Avista, was impressive in romping away to a 4½-length win. 
The rising four-year-old has now won three from four and should progress to better things. 
The Cavanoughs, the Messara/Gavranich stable and the Annabel and Rob Archibald team shared the training honours with a double apiece.
At the Sapphire Coast meeting the same afternoon, the $50,000 Super Maiden (1410m) saw an impressive 2¼-length win to Hussy La Vista ($8), ridden by Jess Taylor for Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup. 
Bateup led in two winners on the seven-race program, while Taylor rode a winning double.
Fab day at Forbes
This Friday’s Country Showcase meeting at Port Macquarie features a $50,000 Super Maiden to be run over 1200 metres. 
Saturday at Gilgandra, the 1280-metre Collie Cup will be the main race on a six-race program. 
Sunday is cup day at Forbes in the central west, with the $50,000 Forbes Cup to be run over 1600 metres, a Big Dance eligibilty race. Also on the program is a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1300 metres.