John Thompson has finished the season as Australia's leading trainer of two-year-olds after Longport's gutsy win at Kembla Grange on Tuesday afternoon.
Photo by Racing and Sports
It was the 31st time in the past 12 months the Patinack Farm-backed trainer had prepared the winner of a two-year-old race, putting him one ahead of Peter Snowden and two clear of Golden Slipper winner Gai Waterhouse.
Snowden had his own chance to grab a 31st winner earlier in the day at Geelong, but could only manage third with Exceed And Excel youngster Sari.
Waterhouse meanwhile was favoured to draw level with Thompson and Snowden in the Traffic Logistics Handicap (1300m) at Kembla but her well-fancied second starter Celtic Sea could only manage second.
The Fastnet Rock filly, who won impressively on debut at Wyong earlier this month stalked Longport for the entire race and poked her head in front 200m from home, but Thompson's juvenile fought back strongly on the inside.
Anthony Cummings' youngster Dolphus surged home for third.
From a wide gate jockey Christian Reith opted to go forward and it proved the right move.
“It's definitely not the way to ride her but we didn't have many options today from the awkward draw,” Reith said.
“She's just very green, she was gawking a lot down in the run. I really wanted to wait until I gave her a crack with the stick because I didn't want to give her too hard a run today.
“She's a lovely filly going places.”
The daughter of Casino Prince debuted on a bog track at Canterbury in February finishing in second spot, four lengths off Waterhouse's Later Gator.
She went straight back out for a spell and has returned just in time for the three-year-old spring.
“[She] didn't handle the track first-up last prep,” stable representative Andre Rabbett said.
“She still showed a lot of heart in that run, and has come back much better this prep.
“Really good tough effort today, drawn wide, had to do a bit of work early and settled nicely in front and kept on going on with it.
“Two-year-old winner at the right end of the season.”
