Erica Byrne Burke put an exclamation mark on a career-best season with a trio of victors at Devonport last Sunday.
She set the tone in day’s opener, a maiden plate over 1650 metres, with the Jessie Bazan-trained Bruny Boy leading throughout for a comfortable three-length win as $1.75 favourite at just his third start.
Byrne Burke’s second win came aboard the John Blacker-prepared Stardarmus ($5), who also (surprisingly) led and was never seriously challenged, cruising to a comfortable four-length win in the benchmark 60 handicap over 1350 metres.
Blacker has had his second successive trainers’ premiership in the bag for quite some time and Stardarmus’s success gave him 68 wins for the season, 15 clear of Glenn Stevenson.
Byrne Burke’s final victory came aboard the John Luttrell-trained Outbush ($5), who camped just off the speed before proving too strong in the Class 1 handicap over 1150 metres.
The treble gave her 86 wins for the season, well clear of departed leading apprentice Jabez Johnstone on 50.
Out on a high
The winner of the previous two jockeys’ premierships, Anthony Darmanin, shared the riding honours with Byrne Burke, notching a treble of his own.
He kicked off with the Leeanne Gaffney-prepared $3.30 favourite Whippin Piccadilly, who enjoyed a one-out, one-back trail before notching her second successive win over the Devonport 1880 metres in benchmark 72 company.
Darmanin made it a running double on the Barry Campbell-trained Azonto who finished off hard from midfield to take the Class 3 handicap over 1350 metres as a $2.80 favourite.
Darmanin again teamed with Campbell to take the final event of the season, a benchmark 68 handicap over 1650 metres, with Simply Deep ($2.90), who despite working early just kept finding for a narrow but tenacious win.
Campbell had his best season for a number of years, notching 50 wins at the remarkable strike rate of 28.10 per cent, while Darmanin also did a great job to notch 39 wins in a season marred by injury.
Asva’s on his way
Launceston and Devonport Cup winner Asva kicks off a Geelong Cup campaign at Flemington this Saturday when he contests an open handicap over 1410 metres.
The former Glenn Stevenson rep is now in the care of Patrick Kearney and while the gelded son of Capitalist will no doubt be peaking later over further, he boasts a strong 1400m record (11: 4-2-2) and has placed at five of his nine previous first-up outings.