If anyone was doubting the black-type bona fides of Murray Bridge sprinter Sir Now, they shouldn’t be any longer.
The Darryl Hewitt-trained chestnut began his five-year-old season with victory in Group 3 Behemoth Stakes at Morphettville on August 8, and followed up at the same track last Saturday by winning the listed Sportsbet W.H. Wylie Handicap (1100m), giving rider Connor Murtagh the second leg of a race-to-race double.
Sir Now ($6) trailed early leader Real Deluxe before going to the front and hanging on to beat the Ciaron Maher-trained Signature Scent ($11) by a long head, with $3.30 favourite Smooth Chino third for Gawler-based WA expat Indianna Weinert.
Sir Now’s race record now reads 28 starts for 11 wins, 10 minor placings and $583,955 in earnings.
“A lot of experts wrote him off for this race today, and I’m glad he proved them all wrong,” Murtagh said of Sir Now.
Murtagh brought up the first leg of his double when Mellifluent ($14) won from on the pace in the benchmark 70 Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1514m) for the Strathalbyn stable of Wayne Francis and Glen Kent.
Double happiness
It would have been a happy household last Saturday night after partners and fellow jockeys Harry Grace and Jordyn Weatherley rode a double at Morphettville. 
Grace was the first of the duo to salute the judge when the Steven Theodore-trained Boyd ($3.40 favourite) led all the way in the Class 2 Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1050m). 
Grace completed his double when last-start winner Retourne ($19) took the benchmark 78 Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (2525m) for Oakbank trainer Claudette Rose.
Apprentice Weatherley opened her account when Fill A Promise ($26) led all the way in the 0-64 M&J Chickens Handicap (1050m) for visiting Scone trainer Nikki Pollock. 
Weatherley completed her first metro double with Talisay ($5) in the benchmark 64 Sydney McDonald Memorial Handicap (1800m). Jointly prepared by Will Clarken and Charlotte Sorby, Talisay came from midfield with a flashing run over the concluding stages.
That race was held in honour of Syd McDonald, who died in September 2015, aged 91, a well known and respected SA racing man and philanthropist who began selling newspapers at racecourses before a long career as a bookmaker. 
The Sydney “Paper Mac” and Nancy McDonald Award is a new annual Racing SA award that recognises a first- or second-year apprentice jockey who exemplifies outstanding commitment to the racing industry.
Barghest goes bang
Punters at Morphettville were much warier of Barghest last Saturday when the three-year-old stepped out for his second start.
The Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle-trained Fierce Impact gelding had started at $41 in his debut win a fortnight earlier.  This time, kept safe as a $6.50 third favourite in the benchmark 64 Peter Elberg Funerals Handicap (1100m), he was even more impressive.
Having the services of stable apprentice Isaac Sit, Barghest settled midfield before demolishing his rivals late and clearing out to win by four lengths.
Todd takes three
Star of last Friday’s Bordertown meeting was Todd Pannell with a riding treble. 
Two of his winners were for Goolwa trainer John Macmillan — Ilustrious Warrior ($2.40 favourite) in an 1100-metre maiden plate and Affaire Vue ($4.60) in 0-54 garde over 1200 metres. Pannell closed the day with a win aboard Naralinga ($4.40) in a 1200-metre benchmark 64 for Darryl Dodson.